title: Effects of dietary supplementation with Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Ortgies and its saponin and non-saponin fractions on rat metabolism.
abstract: Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Ortgies, family Lillaceae, was fractionated with butan-1-ol to yield a butanol extractable fraction (BE; saponin fraction) and a non-butanol fraction (NBE; non-saponin fraction). Four groups of eight male rats were allowed ad libitum access to diets supplemented with water (control) or 200 mg x kg(-1) total Y. schidigera (TOT) or 200 mg x kg(-1) of each of the fractions (NBE or BE). The effects of dietary supplementation with the fractions and their interactions in TOT were analyzed according to the factorial experimental design by two-way analysis of variance. All three supplementation groups displayed significantly reduced serum urea levels (P < 0.05). The TOT and NBE fractions were found to significantly increase serum insulin levels (P < 0.01) in the absence of any fluctuations in serum glucose levels. Urea cycle enzyme activities, namely, arginase (EC 3.5.3.1) and argininosuccinate lyase (EC 4.3.2.1), were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in vivo, although no effect was observed in vitro. Both fractions displayed effects, indicating that the active constituents are present in both fractions.
authors.affiliation: Alltech European Biosciences Research Center, The National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. cduffy@alltech-bio.com
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Killeen
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Power
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D019668:Liliaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012503:Saponins; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D012503:Saponins; D014508:Urea