Lowering of plasma LDL cholesterol in hamsters by the tomato glycoalkaloidtomatine

Citation
M. Friedman et al., Lowering of plasma LDL cholesterol in hamsters by the tomato glycoalkaloidtomatine, FOOD CHEM T, 38(7), 2000, pp. 549-553
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Food Science/Nutrition","Pharmacology & Toxicology
Journal title
FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY
ISSN journal
02786915 → ACNP
Volume
38
Issue
7
Year of publication
2000
Pages
549 - 553
Database
ISI
SICI code
0278-6915(200007)38:7<549:LOPLCI>2.0.ZU;2-6
Abstract
Tomatoes contain the steroidal glycoalkaloid tomatine, which has been repor ted to form strong, insoluble complexes with cholesterol in vitro. To deter mine whether tomatine can reduce dietary cholesterol absorption and plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, we fed hamsters a high-fat, high-c holesterol diet with 0.05-0.2% added tomatine in the diet. The tomatine die ts induced lowering of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) without changing high-density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Compared to the control diets, four- to fivefold more labeled dietary cholesterol and coprostanol was exc reted in the feces of the tomatine-fed hamsters. The amount of cholesterol excreted in the feces corresponded to the amount of tomatine in the diet. T hese observations suggest that due to the formation of an insoluble tomatin e-cholesterol complex and its excretion in the feces, very little dietary t omatine is absorbed from the digestive tract into the blood stream. They ar e also consistent with the reported low oral toxicity of tomatine compared to other glycoalkaloids. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.