A comparison of the impact of amaranth flour and squalene on plasma cholesterol in mice with diet-induced dyslipidemia
Abstract
Amaranth was identified as a possible component of an anti-sclerotic diet, To date, particular substances responsible for this effect have not been exactly specified. Squalene, which is contained in amaranth, could be responsible for this effect.
However, there are also other potential substances and the hypolipidemic effect of amaranth can be caused by a synergistic effect of several components. This study investigated and compared the impact of amaranth flour and squalene on the total cholesterol (CHOLTOT) and LDL cholesterol (CHOLLDL) levels in mice with dyslipidemia induced by a cholesterol- and sugar-rich diet.
The experiment included 40 inbred mice (C57BI/6J SPF). After a 7-days acclimatization period, animals were divided into four groups by random.
Individual groups were fed different diets for 49 days: control (group C), high energy diet (group HED), high energy diet with amaranth flour (group HED+A) and high energy diet with squalene (group HED+S). The sugar- and cholesterol-rich diet in HED resulted in the significant increase in the levels of CHOLTOT by 125% (P < 0.05) and CHOLLDL by 304% (P < 0.05), and at the same time in a decrease of HDL cholesterol (CHOLHDL) levels by 58% (P < 0.05) compared to group C.
To the contrary, amaranth flour enriched diet in group HED+A led to a decrease of CHOLTOT levels by 33% (P < 0.05) and CHOLLDL by 37% (P < 0.05), compared to HED. Both, amaranth flour and squalene, had a positive impact on CHOLHDL levels.
Compared to group HED, there was a 47% increase in HED+A and a 60% increase in HED+S. Results proved the favorable impact of amaranth flour on the levels of total cholesterol CHOLTOT and also on CHOLLDL.
Furthermore, the results imply that amaranth flour contains besides squalene other substances, which can actively participate in its hypolipidemic effect.