Dietary Cholestin (Red Yeast Extract) Reduces Toxicity of Oxidized Cholesterol in Rats

Abstract

This study focused on the effects of dietary cholestin (red yeast extract) on the toxicity of oxidized cholesterol in rats. The rats were divided into eight groups and fed with or without supplement of 1% cholestin and 3% oxidized cholesterol in their diets for 8 weeks. It was found that cholestin could improve the body weight decrease and the glutathione (GSH) level in the liver, and increase of liver and kidney weight to body weight ratio, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) level in the liver of rats caused by oxidized cholesterol (P < 0.05). It also reduced the plasma content of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), indicating that cholestin could prevent the hepatotoxicity induced by oxidized cholesterol (P < 0.05). In addition, cholestin possessed recovering effect and a short-term preventing effect on the toxicity of oxidized cholesterol in rats. Taking all these data together, cholestin may play an important role in diminishing the toxic effects of oxidized cholesterol in rats.