title: Artichoke extract lowered plasma cholesterol and increased fecal bile acids in Golden Syrian hamsters.
abstract: A study was conducted in hamsters to determine if artichoke leaf extract (ALE) could lower plasma total and non-HDL cholesterol by increasing fecal excretion of neutral bile acids and sterols. Sixty-four Golden Syrian hamsters (8 week old) were fed control diet or a similar diet containing ALE (4.5 g/kg diet) for 6 weeks. No significant changes for total cholesterol, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol triglycerides or fecal neutral sterols and bile acids were found after 21 days for ALE-fed animals compared with controls. But after 42 days, ALE-fed male hamsters had significantly lower total cholesterol (15%), non-HDL cholesterol (30%) and triglycerides (22%) and female hamsters fed ALE showed reductions of 15% for total cholesterol, 29% for non-HDL cholesterol and 29% for triglycerides compared with controls. Total neutral sterol and bile acids concentrations increased significantly by 50% and 53% in fecal samples of ALE fed males, and 82.4% and 25% in ALE fed females compared with controls. The ALE lowered hamster plasma cholesterol levels by a mechanism involving the greater excretion of fecal bile acids and neutral sterols after feeding for 42 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Zhiyi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiang
authors.forename: Sun-Ok
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Xianai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hendrich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D006224:Cricetinae; D031943:Cynara scolymus / Q000737:chemistry*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol