Samuel Rotenberg

The Effect of Purified Pectins with and without Saponins in the Diet on Selected Lipid Parameters in Liver and Blood Plasma of Rats

Abstract An experiment with 20 male growing Wistar rats was carried out to study the effect of a diet containing cholesterol and pectins (washed in acidified ethanol) with or without saponins on selected lipid parameters in liver and blood plasma. The rats were allocated at random to 4 dietary groups. The control group (C) was fed a diet containing 54% autoclaved potato starch, 6% sucrose, 13% casein, 3.5% soya-bean oil, 3.5% beef tallow, 1% cholesterol, 14% cellulose powder, mineral and vitamin mixtures. In the second group (P) 10% of cellulose was replaced by an equal amount of commercial citrus pectin (esterification degree 67.1%). The third group (W)—as P, but pectin was washed with acidified ethanol. The fourth group (S)—as W, but 0.2% steroid saponins from Gypsophila roots (Merck) were added. The rats were fed ad libitum during 5 weeks. In P, compared with C., a drastic drop in total lipids and total cholesterol of liver was observed. In blood plasma a significant decrease of total cholesterol and a...