Soybean germ phytosterols (SGP) largely exist in soybean germ oil. Our previous study demonstrated that soybean germ oil was effective in reducing plasma cholesterol. However, it remains unknown if its phytosterols are the active ingredients responsible for the plasma cholesterol-lowering activity. The present study aimed to test the effect of SGP on plasma cholesterol and to investigate its associated underlying mechanisms using hamsters as animal model. Male hamsters (n = 40) were randomly divided into five groups (n = 8/group) and fed one of the five diets: a non-cholesterol diet (NCD), a high cholesterol diet (HCD), a HCD diet containing 0.5% cholestyramine (PC), and two HCD diets containing 0.1% (LP) and 0.2% (HP) SGP, respectively, for six weeks. Results showed that SPG reduced plasma cholesterol level in a dose-dependent manner, whereas it dose-dependently increased the excretion of both fecal neutral and acidic sterols. SGP was also effective in displacing cholesterol from micelles. It was concluded that SGP possessed hypocholesterolemic activity, likely by inhibiting cholesterol absorption in the intestine and promoting fecal sterol excretion.
Keywords: cholesterol absorption; hamster; plasma cholesterol; soybean germ phytosterols.