Fenugreek seeds reduce atherogenic diet-induced cholesterol gallstone formation in experimental mice.
Dietary hypocholesterolemic adjuncts may have a beneficial role in the prevention and treatment of cholesterol gallstones (CGS). In this investigation, fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed was evaluated for this potential on the experimental induction of CGS in laboratory mice. CGS was induced by maintaining mice on a lithogenic diet (0.5% cholesterol) for 10 weeks. Fenugreek seed powder was included at 5%, 10%, and 15% of this lithogenic diet. Dietary fenugreek significantly lowered the incidence of CGS in these mice; the incidence was 63%, 40%, and 10% in the 5%, 10%, and 15% fenugreek groups, respectively, compared with 100% in the lithogenic control. The antilithogenic influence of fenugreek is attributable to its hypocholesterolemic effect. Serum cholesterol level was decreased by 26%-31% by dietary fenugreek, while hepatic cholesterol was lowered by 47%-64% in these high cholesterol-fed animals. Biliary cholesterol was 8.73-11.2 mmol/L as a result of dietary fenugreek, compared with 33.6 mmol/L in high-cholesterol feeding without fenugreek. Cholesterol saturation index in bile was reduced to 0.77-0.99 in fenugreek treatments compared with 2.57 in the high-cholesterol group. Thus, fenugreek seed offers health-beneficial antilithogenic potential by virtue of its favourable influence on cholesterol metabolism.
Reddy
R L R
RL
Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Central Food Technological Research Institute, CSIR, Mysore 570 020, India.
Srinivasan
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001646:Bile / Q000737:chemistry; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D042882:Gallstones / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012639:Seeds; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D029910:Trigonella / Q000737:chemistry
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; C030104:lipoprotein cholesterol; C056164:fenugreek seed meal; D002784:Cholesterol