Gallstone formation in hamsters: effect of varying animal and vegetable protein levels.
The lithogenic diet routinely used for production of gallstones in hamsters contains 20% casein. It has previously been shown that replacement of casein by soy protein significantly decreases gallstone formation. In this study hamsters were fed a lithogenic diet containing casein (C), soy isolate (S), C/S 3:1, C/S 1:1, and C/S 1:3. The percentages of hamsters with gallstones on these five diets were: 44, 12, 38, 23, and 15. Biliary cholesterol levels and lithogenic index both decreased significantly with increasing levels of soy protein. Dilution of casein with soy protein progressively decreases lithogenicity.
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002364:Caseins / Q000633:toxicity; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000209:etiology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary / Q000633:toxicity*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000633:toxicity
D002364:Caseins; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary