Absorption of intestinal free cholesterol is lowered by supplementation of Areca catechu L. extract in rats.
Areca extracts exhibiting a strong inhibitory activity against pancreatic cholesterol esterase (pCEase) in vitro were previously found to lower the absorption of dietary cholesteryl ester. Therefore, to determine whether a combined Areca extract also affects the absorption of intestinal free cholesterol, male rats were fed a diet containing free cholesterol (1%, w/w) either with or without an Areca nut extract supplement (0.5%, w/w). The Areca extract supplement significantly lowered the plasma cholesterol concentration by 25% without any change in the plasma triglyceride concentration, when compared to the control group. The supplement also significantly lowered the small intestinal pCEase activity by 39.1% compared to that of the control group. As regards the hepatic and intestinal ACAT activities, only the intestinal enzyme activity was significantly lowered by the supplement, when compared to the control group. The absorbed cholesterol that appeared in the blood after an oral dose of [1,2(n)-3H] free cholesterol was significantly lower in the rats supplemented with the Areca nut extract, compared with the control group. These results suggest that the inhibition of intestinal ACAT and possibly pCEase may facilitate the metabolic efficiency of the Areca nut extract as regards the absorption of intestinal free cholesterol. The structure and chemical properties of the active compound in the water-soluble Areca extract remain to be elucidated.
Park
Yong Bok
YB
Department of Genetic Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, South Korea.
Jeon
Seon-Min
SM
Byun
Sung-June
SJ
Kim
Hee-Sook
HS
Choi
Myung-Sook
MS
D000818:Animals; D001114:Areca; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D002787:Sterol Esterase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase; C054784:bile salt-stimulated lipase; D002787:Sterol Esterase