Phytosterols and cholesterol metabolism

Ostlund, Richard E.

doi:10.1097/00041433-200402000-00008

Cited by 211 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…In humans, 1.8-2 g d −1 was recommended to lower blood cholesterol [12,68]. According to a recent publication on the dose translation from animal to human studies [69], 100 mg kg −1 BW d −1 of BBR in rats is equivalent to 16.7 mg kg −1 BW d −1 in humans and 1.2 g d −1 for a subject with 70 kg of body weight.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Co-administration of berberine and plant stanols synergistically reduces plasma cholesterol in rats

Xiao-ming¹,

Chen

Zidichouski³

et al. 2008

Atherosclerosis

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The objective of the present study was to determine the beneficial effects and the safety of oral administration of the combination of berberine (BBR) and plant stanols (PS) on plasma lipid profiles in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Four groups of animals were fed a cornstarch-casein-sucrose-based high-cholesterol (2%, w:w) and high-fat (27.5%) diet. Three treatment groups were supplemented with either BBR (100 mg kg −1 body weight d −1 ), PS (1% in diet, w:w), or the combination of both (BBRPS). After 6 wk, animals were sacrificed and followed immediately with the collection of blood and organ samples. Lipid analysis revealed that PS lowered plasma total cholesterol (T-C) by 18% (p = 0.067) and non-HDL-cholesterol (non-HDL-C) by 29% (p = 0.013) as compared with the control, while BBR had no effect on both T-C and non-HDL-C. The combination treatment of BBRPS reduced plasma T-C by 41% (p = 0.0002) and non-HDL-C by 59% (p < 0.0001) compared to the control group. BBR reduced plasma TG levels by 31% at a marginal significance relative to the control (p = 0.054), whereas PS had no effect. BBRPS showed an additive effect of BBR and PS on plasma TAG. PS and BBRPS both decreased liver cholesterol (p = 0.0027 and 0.0002, respectively). BBR and PS, either alone or in combination, did not show any toxic effects as assessed by plasma concentration of hepatic biochemical parameters. These results demonstrate that BBR and PS, when combined, synergistically lower plasma cholesterol levels and significantly reduce liver cholesterol, without the observation of any toxic effects. Crown

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Co-administration of berberine and plant stanols synergistically reduces plasma cholesterol in rats

Xiao-ming¹,

Chen

Zidichouski³

et al. 2008

Atherosclerosis

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“…1). 17 Due to their different biochemistry, phytosterols are used as an efficient cholesterol lowering agent in various food products.…”

Section: -1116mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cholesteric colloidal liquid crystals from phytosterol rod-like particles

2011

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We report the first observation of chiral colloidal liquid crystals of rod-like particles from a low molecular weight organic compoundphytosterols. Based on the particles shape and crystal structure, we attribute this phenomenon to chiral distribution of surface charge on the surface of neighbouring rods.Shape anisotropic (disc-like or rod-like) colloidal particles have been drawing the attention of scientists for many centuries, starting with the use of natural clay particles.1 The particular interest in their phase behaviour started already with the work of Onsager who theoretically predicted the occurrence of entropically driven phase transition in suspensions of disc-like particles that leads to the formation of liquid crystal (LC) phases.2 Nowadays, available synthetic methods readily provide a vast amount of (organic and inorganic) shape anisotropic colloidal particles, 3,4 which indeed in many cases give rise to the formation of various LC phases.5-7 Interestingly, shape anisotropic colloidal particles can also form a cholesteric (or chiral nematic) LC phase,8-11 initially thought to be an exclusive property of molecular LC phases which are typically composed of molecules containing a chiral centre. The latter produces intermolecular forces that favour alignment between molecules at a slight angle to one another in different layers resulting in a long-range chiral order.12 Surprisingly, chiral colloidal LC phases have been observed only in the case of shape-anisotropic particles from self-assemblies of large biopolymers (e.g. cellulose, 13 chitin 14) and macromolecules (e.g. viruses 15) and not in low molecular weight organic compounds. Although a lot of research has been done in relation to cholesteric colloidal LCs, the connection between molecular and macroscopic chirality is still not understood. 8-11,16Here we report the first observation of a cholesteric LC phase in a colloidal suspension of rod-like particles from phytosterols (PSs): a low molecular weight organic molecule. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of cholesteric LC from colloidal particles made of chiral low molecular weight organic molecules. Phytosterols are a group of plant-derived sterols that have structures similar to that of cholesterol (Fig. 1).17 Due to their different biochemistry, phytosterols are used as an efficient cholesterol lowering agent in various food products. 17,18The procedure developed for the synthesis of phytosterol colloidal particles is based on anti-solvent precipitation.19 Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) pictures (Fig. 2) show that the colloidal particles have a rod-like shape with aspect ratios L/D varying between 3 and 20, with D the particle width and length L typically in between 2 mm and 3 mm.20 Phytosterols are known to form rod-and plate-like crystals of hemi-and monohydrates when crystallized from oil solutions 21 or organic solvents in the presence of water.22 Recent studies have shown that cholesterol, which also forms hemi-and monohydrates, forms plate-like particles.23 Our rod...

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“…Since then, the cholesterol-lowering effects of phytosterols have been extensively demonstrated in both humans and animals (117)(118)(119)(120). A meta-analysis of 41 clinical trials showed that intake of 2 g/d of stanols or sterols reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by 10%, with little additional reduction at higher doses (121).…”

Section: Phytosterols and Cholesterol Absorptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As cholesterol analogs phytosterols compete for cholesterol in absorptive micelles resulting in reduced solubility of cholesterol (118). However, recent evidence suggests that the mechanism of action of phytosterols may be more complicated than originally thought (119,123). As summarized in a recent review (123), since phytosterols/phytostanols do not need to be present in the intestinal lumen simultaneously with cholesterol to inhibit its absorption (120), other studies have suggested that phytosterols/phytostanols may exert an unknown molecular action inside enterocytes and hepatocytes.…”

Section: Phytosterols and Cholesterol Absorptionmentioning

confidence: 99%