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Effect of Dietary Unsaturated Oils on the Biosynthesis of Cholesterol, and on Biliary and Fecal Excretion of Cholesterol and Bile Acids in Rats¹

Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-560 012, India

The aim of the present work was to investigate whether the hypocholesterolemic effect of polyunsaturated oils is due to inhibition of cholesterol synthesis or increased excretion of cholesterol and bile acids through the bile and feces of animals. Separate groups of rats were fed diets containing 10% safflower oil, coconut oil or hydrogenated vegetable oils for 30 days, after which the hepatic cholesterol and bile acid synthesis and their excretion through the bile and feces were studied. As compared to the rats in the other two groups, those given the diet containing 10% safflower oil showed markedly increased rates of bile flow and excreted through their bile and feces markedly higher amounts of cholesterol and bile acids. At the same time incorporation of [1-¹⁴C]acetate and [2-¹⁴C]mevalonate into the liver cholesterol and conversion of [4-¹⁴C]cholesterol into ¹⁴C-bile acids were also higher in the same rats. In the light of these observations it has been discussed that in the animals given polyunsaturated oils, biliary and fecal loss of cholesterol and bile acids far outweighs the activation of cholesterol synthesis and thereby effectively lowers the serum cholesterol levels.

KEY WORDS: • unsaturated fat • cholesterol • bile acids cholic acid • HMG-CoA reductase • cholesterol 7-hydroxylase • biliary excretion • fecal excretion • neutral sterols

¹ Supported by a grant from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi.

² Recipient of a Senior Research Fellowship, CSIR, New Delhi. Present address: Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22901.

³ To whom reprint requests should be sent.

Manuscript received 29 February 1980.