title: Effects of the lipid-saccharide complex and unsaponifiable matter from sunflowers on liver lipid metabolism and intestinal flora in rats.
abstract: The effects of the flower lipid-saccharide complex and unsaponifiable matter (1 g/kg of diet) from the sunflower on liver lipid metabolism and intestinal flora was studied in rats given cholesterol-enriched diets. After six weeks of feeding, the microsomal cholesterol concentration in the liver had been significantly reduced with the sunflower diet. The ratio of cholesterol/phospholipid was also reduced by the sunflower diet. The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity of the sunflower groups was significantly lower than that of the control group. There was no significant difference in the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity, although this tended to increase with dietary sunflower consumption. The number of Bacillus in the cecum flora was significantly higher in the lipid-saccharide complex group than in the other groups, while Bifidobacterium and Eubacterium in the cecum flora was significantly higher in the unsaponifiable matter group when compared to the control group. These results suggest that the lipid-saccharide complex and unsaponifiable matter in the sunflower are related to liver cholesterol synthesis and intestinal flora.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresource Chemistry, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects; D006368:Helianthus / Q000737:chemistry*; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008861:Microsomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012503:Saponins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D012503:Saponins