title: Effects of the kefir and banana pulp and skin flours on hypercholesterolemic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of kefir and banana pulp and skin flours on the serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c and triacylglycerols in rats fed cholesterol-rich diet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty Male Wistar rats were used. In the first 21 days, the animals were fed purified hypercholesterolemic diets, except the standard group. In the next 21 days, the animals were given modified diets: Group GC: standard diet AIN-93G; Group HIP: hypercholesterolemic diet; Group F: hypercholesterolemic diet added of 1% of banana skin flour and 7% of banana pulp flour; Group Q: hypercholesterolemic diet plus kefir suspension by oral infusion (1.5 ml/animal); Group FQ: hypercholesterolemic diet added of 1% banana skin flour and 7% of banana pulp flour plus kefir suspension (1.5 ml/animal).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In spite of the high fiber content, the addition of banana pulp (7%) and skin (1%) flour did not alter the plasma levels of total cholesterol, HDL-c and LDL-c. However, they reduced the TG levels in 22%. Already fermented kefir reduced significantly the levels of VLDL, LDL-c and triacylglycerols, in addition to having increased HDL-c. However, it was not possible to verify the symbiotic effect between both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results reinforce the beneficial effects of kefir in reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência dos Alimentos, Campus UFLA-DCA, 37200-000 Lavras - MG Brasil. deangelis@dca.ufla.br
authors.forename: Michel Cardoso de
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angelis-Pereira
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima Píccolo
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Barcelos
authors.forename: Mariana Séfora Bezerra
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Juciane de Abreu Ribeiro
authors.initials: Jde A
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000097:blood; D043302:Cultured Milk Products / Q000737:chemistry*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D028521:Musa / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol