Hypolipidemic activity of the polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera.
Enteromorpha prolifera is an edible alga that is used as a traditional herb to treat many diseases. This study prepared E. prolifera polysaccharides (EPPs) and determined their hypolipidaemic activity in rats. Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups and fed with diets containing either high fat (HF), EPPs or normal fat (NF) for 6 weeks. Compared with the HF group, the EPP group showed decreased body weight gain, plasma triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, liver TG, liver TC and liver weight. The faecal fat, cholesterol and plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol of the EPP group were higher than those of the NF and HF groups. Results suggested that EPPs had a high hypolipidaemic activity and could be a suitable alternative hypolipidaemic source for humans.
Department of Neurosurgery, The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang, 41 East Hailian Road, Xinpu 222006, China.
Zhaolin
Z
Teng
Li
L
Qian
Yan
Y
Zhou
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D044445:Ulva / Q000737:chemistry*
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol
Enteromorpha prolifera; Hypolipidaemic activity; Polysaccharides