ARS | Publication request: Gel coating of leaves of the water plant, Brasenia schreberi, lowers plasma cholesterol in hamsters on high fat diets

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 25, 2011
Publication Date: May 28, 2011
Citation: Yokoyama, W.H., Zhong, F., Shoemaker, C., Bartley, G.E., Kim, H. 2011. Gel coating of leaves of the water plant, Brasenia schreberi, lowers plasma cholesterol in hamsters on high fat diets (abstract).

Technical Abstract: An edible, gelatinous water-insoluble coating surrounds the young leaves of the water plant, Brasenia schreberi. This mucilage is a polysaccharide of galactose, mannose, fucose and other monosaccharides. In order to determine if this edible gel has cholesterol lowering properties, we fed male hamsters hypercholesterolemic diets containing either 2% gel coat from B. schreberi (GEL), 1% cholestyramine (CA), or 5% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and compared them to 5% microcrystalline cellulose (control) for 3 weeks. We found that plasma VLDL-, LDL-, and total-cholesterol concentrations were significantly lowered by GEL, CA, and HPMC compared to control. Body weights were not changed by any treatment but abdominal adipose tissue weight from GEL fed animals was greater compared to the control group. Fecal lipid excretion was greater in the CA and HPMC than the control. Expression of hepatic CYP51 and CYP7A1 mRNA was up-regulated by CA, HPMC and GEL, indicating increased hepatic cholesterol and bile acid synthesis. Expression of LDLR mRNA was up-regulated by all treatments. These results suggest that modulation of hepatic expression of cholesterol and bile acid metabolism-regulated genes contributes to the cholesterol-lowering effects of GEL. Key Words: hamster, soluble fiber, Brasenia, cholesterol, gene expression