Cholesterol-lowering effect of water-soluble polysaccharides from kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) seeds in rats I

The effects of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) seeds on serum and liver lipid c oncentration in rats were investigated, Rats were fed a hypercholesterolemi c diet (containing lod cholesterol and 0.25% cholic acid ) supplemented wit h 5% kenaf seed powder err 5% hot-water extract from the calyx of Thai kena f (Hibiscus sabdariffa). The serum cholesterol concentration was significan tly lower in the rats fed the diet supplemented with seed powder than in ra ts of the control group. The extract from the flower did not exert a simila r effect. The HDL-cholesterol concentration in the serum was not converted, but the (VLDL+LDL)-choleslerol concentration decreased as compared to the control group. No significant differences in liver cholesterol concentratio n were observed for all substances tested. Rats were fed a diet containing polysaccharide extracted from the seeds collected in the Hunan and Zhejian regions of China. The serum cholesterol concentration was significantly low er in the rats fed a diet supplemented with 1% or 5% polysaccharides as com pared to control group, but did not differ significantly between the two re gional seed sources. There was no significant difference in liver cholester ol concentration between the control and the treatment groups. The results suggest that the polysaccharides extracted from kenaf seeds have serum chol esterol-lowering effects in rats.