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Evidence that Polyunsaturated Lecithin Induces a Reduction in Plasma Cholesterol Level and Favorable Changes in Lipoprotein Composition in Hypercholesterolemic Rats¹

Istituto Nazionale della Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Rome, Italy

For 30 d adult rats were fed a hypercholesterolemic (H) diet (25% saturated fat, 1% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid) containing different amounts of saponins (1% or 0.2%) and/or purified polyunsaturated lecithin (2.5% or 0.7%). Lecithin induced a striking reduction in the plasma levels of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol as well as an increase in the level of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Saponins had only a very slight effect in lowering the level of VLDL cholesterol. Apoprotein A-I was unexpectedly present in VLDL, IDL and LDL after feeding rats the H diet and disappeared only after lecithin feeding. The activity of plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase was higher when the two lecithin diets were fed than when the other diets were fed. Fecal excretion of neutral sterols was unmodified by the various diets whereas acid steroid excretion increased after lecithin feeding. Saponins, when added with lecithin to the diet, reduced the beneficial effect of lecithin. The results indicate that polyunsaturated lecithin induced a reduction in plasma cholesterol, possibly through an increased formation of HDL particles.

KEY WORDS: • lecithin • saponins • hypercholesterolemic diet • lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase • rats

¹ This research was supported by CNR, Italy, special grant I.P.R.A., sub-project 3, paper no. 2042.

Manuscript received 2 August 1988. Revision accepted 28 December 1989.

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