Experimental rat models (5-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats) with
hyperlipemia were prepared by feeding high-
cholesterol feed containing
sodium cholate and
casein as a
protein source. Dried maitake (Grifola frondosa)
powder was mixed with the basic high-
cholesterol feed and the serum
lipids were periodically measured. Values of
cholesterol,
triglyceride and
phospholipid in serum of rats in the maitake-feed group were suppressed by 0.3-0.8 times those in animals fed the basic feed, the latter values being close to those in rats given normal feed. The value of
high density lipoprotein (
HDL)-cholesterol in serum which is generally reduced by the ingestion of high-
cholesterol feed remained the level it was at the beginning of the experiment. Weights of extirpated liver and epididymal fat-pads were significantly less (0.6-0.7 times) than those in the basic feed group, indicating that maitake inhibits
lipid accumulation in the body. Liver
lipids were also measured and the values were found to be decreased by maitake administration as true of serum
lipid, suggesting maitake has an anti-liver
lipid activity. Measurement of the amount of total
cholesterol and
bile acid in feces showed, the ratio of
cholesterol-excretion had increased 1.8 times and
bile acid-excretion 3 fold by maitake treatment. From these results, it is believed that maitake helps to improve the lipid metabolism as it inhibits both liver
lipid and serum
lipid which are increased by the ingestion of high-fat feed.