β-Conglycinin (7S) and glycinin (11S) exert a hypocholesterolemic effect comparable to that of fenofibrate in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet

Abstract

The hypocholesterolemic effect of isolated soybean proteins and fenofibrate in rats was compared. Forty-five rats were divided into five groups: standard (STD; casein), high cholesterol (HC; STD plus 1% cholesterol/0.5% cholic acid), HC + β-conglycinin, HC + glycinin and HC + fenofibrate. The proteins and the drug were administered by gavage for 28 days. The proteins decreased total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglycerol (TG) in the plasma of the rats fed HC diet, to values very close to those fed on fenofibrate. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in the plasma were increased by the β-conglycinin, glycinin and fenofibrate groups. The largest TC reduction in the liver was observed in the fenofibrate group; in contrast, the β-conglycinin and glycinin groups exhibited reduced the levels of hepatic TG and TC. Based on these data, it could be suggested that the oral daily administration of isolated soybean proteins, in the range of 2.75% of the protein ingested daily, can promote a reduction in TC and TG in the plasma of rats fed hypercholesterolemic diets.

Keywords

• β-Conglycinin
• Glycinin
• Fenofibrate
• Hypercholesterolemic diet
• Dyslipidemia
• Rats