EFFECT OF OYSTER MUSHROOM AND ISOLATED BETA-GLUCAN ON LIPID-PEROXIDATION AND ON THE ACTIVITIES OF ANTIOXIDATIVE ENZYMES IN RATS FED THE CHOLESTEROL DIET

The effect of 5% dried oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) or beta-g lucan isolated from oyster mushroom on cholesterol levels in serum and liver on lipid peroxidation, and on activities of antioxidative enzym es was studied in male Wistar rats. Animals were Sed a diet with 0.3% cholesterol for 10 weeks after weaning. The diet containing whole oyst er mushroom strikingly reduced cholesterol content in serum and in liv er (by 27 and 46%, respectively). in addition, a shift in cholesterol distribution in lipoproteins (70% decrease in very low-density lipopro tein cholesterol and 50% increase in high-density lipoprotein choleste rol) was observed beta-glucan in the diet did not affect cholesterol l evels in serum and liver Whole oyster mushroom reduced the levels of c onjugated dienes irt erythrocytes and in liver (by 40% and 36%, respec tively), reduced the activity of catalase in erythrocytes and stimulat ed the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione pe r oxidase in liver by 30% to 70%. The diet supplemented with beta-gluc an did not affect neither lipid peroxidation non-activities of antioxi dative enzymes. (C) Elsevier Science Inc. 1997.