title: Tartary buckwheat sprout powder lowers plasma cholesterol level in rats.
abstract: We examined the effects of different types of buckwheat sprouts on the plasma cholesterol concentration, fecal steroid excretion and hepatic mRNA expression related to cholesterol metabolism in rats. Rats were fed a cholesterol-free diet with 5 g of Kitawasesoba common buckwheat sprout powder (KS)/100 g, 5 g of Hokkai T no. 8 tartary buckwheat sprout powder (HS-8)/100 g or 5 g of Hokkai T no. 9 tartary buckwheat sprout powder (HS-9)/100 g of diet for 4 wk. Control rats were fed a diet with alpha-cornstarch instead of sprout powder for 4 wk. There were no significant differences in food intake, body weight, liver weight or cecal contents among the groups. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations in the HS-8 and HS-9 groups were significantly lower than in the control group, whereas there was no significant difference between the KS and control groups. Fecal bile acid excretion and cecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations in the KS, HS-8 and HS-9 groups were significantly greater than in the control group. Furthermore, fecal matter excretion in the KS, HS-8 and HS-9 groups tended to be increased compared to the control group, with that in the HS-8 group being significantly higher than in the control group. Hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA expression in the KS, HS-8 and HS-9 groups and hepatic HMG-CoA reductase mRNA expression in the HS-9 group were significantly higher than in the control group. The results suggest that tartary buckwheat sprout powder has a serum cholesterol-lowering function by enhancing fecal bile acid excretion through increased fecal matter excretion or the upregulation of hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA expression in rats.
authors.affiliation: The United Graduate School of Agriculture Sciences, Iwate University, Iwate, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
authors.forename: Kyu-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Ken-Ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekikawa
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukushima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics; D004435:Eating; D019612:Fagopyrum; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000494:pharmacology; D009929:Organ Size; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D018977:Micronutrients; D028321:Plant Preparations; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013256:Steroids; D002784:Cholesterol; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase; C050128:steroid (23R)-hydroxylase