Search resultsReduced and high molecular weight barley β-glucans decrease plasma total and non-HDL-cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic Syrian Golden hamsters
Title
Reduced and high molecular weight barley β-glucans decrease plasma total and non-HDL-cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic Syrian Golden hamsters
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2004
Authors
Journal
Journal of Nutrition
Volume
134
Issue
10
Pagination
2617 - 2622
Date published
2004
ISBN
00223166 (ISSN)
Keywords
animal experiment, animal model, animal tissue, Animalia, Animals, Aortic cholesterol, article, barley, Barley glucans, beta glucan, cellulose, Cholesterol, cholesterol blood level, coconut oil, controlled study, coprosterol, Cricetinae, dietary fiber, dietary intake, enzymatic degradation, Fecal sterols, Feces, fluor, Glucans, hamster, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, Hordeum, Hordeum vulgare subsp. vulgare, hydrolysis, Hypercholesterolemia, male, Mesocricetus, Mesocricetus auratus, molecular weight, nonhuman, Plasma cholesterol, protein degradation, sterol, triacylglycerol blood level
Abstract
Consumption of concentrated barley β-glucan lowers plasma cholesterol because of its soluble dietary fiber nature. The role of molecular weight (MW) in lowering serum cholesterol is not well established. Prior studies showed that enzymatic degradation of β-glucan eliminates the cholesterol-lowering activity; however, these studies did not evaluate the MW of the β-glucan. The current study was conducted to evaluate whether barley β-glucan concentrates, partially hydrolyzed to reduce MW, possess cholesterol-lowering and antiatherogenic activities. The reduced MW fraction was compared with a high MW β-glucan concentrate from the same barley flour. Concentrated β-glucan preparations were evaluated in Syrian Golden F1B hamsters fed a hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) with cholesterol, hydrogenated coconut oil, and cellulose. After 2 wk, hamsters were fed HCD or diets that contained high or reduced MW β-glucan at a concentration of 8 g/100 g at the expense of cellulose. Decreases in plasma total cholesterol (TC) and non-HDL-cholesterol (non-HDL-C) concentrations occurred in the hamsters fed reduced MW and high MW β-glucan diets. Plasma HDL-C concentrations did not differ. HCD-fed hamsters had higher plasma triglyceride concentrations. Liver TC, free cholesterol, and cholesterol ester concentrations did not differ. Aortic cholesterol ester concentrations were lower in the reduced MW β-glucan-fed hamsters. Consumption of either high or reduced MW β-glucan increased concentrations of fecal total neutral sterols and coprostanol, a cholesterol derivative. Fecal excretion of cholesterol was greater than in HCD-fed hamsters only in those fed the reduced MW β-glucan. Study results demonstrate that the cholesterol-lowering activity of barley β-glucan may occur at both lower and higher MW.