Influence of vegetable protein on gallstone formation in hamsters.
The lithogenic diet generally used for production of gallstones in hamsters contains 20% casein. In four separate experiments the 20% casein diet was compared with one containing 20% soy protein. All other components were kept constant. Two of the four experiments were of 45-day duration, one of 70 days and one of 100 days. When results of all four experiments were averaged, 57.5 +/- 3.6% of hamsters fed casein exhibited cholesterol gallstones whereas only 14.0 +/- 1.3% of soy protein-fed hamsters had gallstones. Thus, soy protein has a significant inhibitory effect on gallstone formation in hamsters. When soy protein was fed to hamsters with preestablished gallstones there was evidence of gallstone dissolution.
D000818:Animals; D002364:Caseins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013025:Glycine max; D013997:Time Factors
D002364:Caseins; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary