Effects of isoflavone supplementation on disturbances in lipid metabolism and antioxidant system due to exogenous cholesterol oxidation products in rats

Abstract

Dietary cholesterol oxidation products (COP) cause disturbances in lipid metabolism and antioxidant system. Here we investigated if isoflavone supplementation ameliorated COP-induced disturbances in lipid metabolism and antioxidant system. Male Sprague–Dawley rats (4 weeks of age) were fed diets containing 0.2% COP supplemented with or without 0.15% isoflavone aglycones for 3 weeks. Isoflavone supplementation significantly ameliorated the dietary COP-induced decrease in hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase activity. Isoflavone supplementation also promoted faecal bile acid excretion, restored the decrease in plasma triacylglycerol levels in COP-fed rats, and suppressed COP-induced oxidative stress. Thus, isoflavone supplementation may ameliorate COP-induced deleterious effects by activating hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase and decreasing COP levels in the body.

Keywords

• Cholesterol oxidation products
• Isoflavone
• Lipid metabolism
• Oxidative stress
• Antioxidant system