EVIDENCE FOR THE ABSENCE OF PARTICIPATION OF THE MICROBIAL-FLORA IN THE HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECT OF GUAR GUM IN GNOTOBIOTIC-RATS

Germ-free (GF) and heteroxenic (Hx) rats were given a hypocholesterole mic diet (Hyper) with or without 5% guar gum (GG) for 4 weeks. The GF and Hx rats fed GG diets showed a lower hepatic and plasmatic choleste rol level when compared with Hyper groups. This reduction of cholester olemia was due to a decrease in the chylomicron + very low density lip oprotein (VLDL) fraction. The caecal and portal concentrations of prop ionate were 30% higher in Hx rats fed the GG diet than in Hx rats fed the Hyper diet. These results exclude the participation of the intesti nal microflora in the hypocholesterolemic effect of GG, and show that guar gum nullifies the effect of the hypocholesterolemic diet in the G F rats.