Effects of Methanol Extract of Prosomillet on Cholesterol and Fatty Acid Metabolism in Rat

To study effects of methanol extract of prosomillet on lopid metabolism , five groups of male Sprang-Dawley rats weighing 116$\pm$9 g were fed test diets for four weeks. The five diets consisted of one low fat(5% w/w) diet containing starch as carbohydrate source(normal) and four high fat diets(15% w/w) containing 40.5%(w/w)sucrose(control) and additional 80% nethanol extractof prosomillet at the levels of 0.3% and 1%(w/w) or prosomillet powder at the level of 20%(w/w). Serum level of total cholesterol was a little higher but that of triglyceride was 41% lower in 20% (w/w) prosomillet powder group than in the control group. The cholesterol levels of two Liver cholesterol levels were lower and phospolipid levels higher in all three prosomillet powder group . Fecal excretionof bile acid was most increased in the prosomillet powder group among all five test groups. Acitivity of liver microsomal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase was significantly lower in 0.3% methanol extract fed group than the control and also appeared to be reduced in 1% extract fed one, wherease those of 20 cholesterol 7$\alpha$-hydroxylase were not different among the five groups. Activities of liver cytosilic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PDH) and malic enzyme were decreased in 0.3% prosomillet methanol extract and 20% powder groups. The results indicate that in addition to fiber, certain active components in prosomillet have potential to exert hypolipidemic effects via regulating hepatic cholesterogenesis and lipogenesis.