Influences of Refined Konjac Meal on the Levels of Tissue Lipids and the Absorption of Four Minerals in Rats

摘要

This paper reports a study on the hypocholesterolemic effect of the refined konjac meal (RKM) containing about 80% glucomannan prepared from the tubers of Amorphophallus konjac K.Koch.Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, 5 weeks old, were divided into five groups and fed a normal basal diet, a hypercholesterolemic diet (control diet), and three test diets (RKM added to the control diet at levels of 2.5.5, and 10%, respectively) for 12 weeks.The results obtained indicate that RKM could markedly lower the cholesterol levels in the serum and the liver of rats eating hypercholesterolemic diets.At the end of the 4th week of the feeding experiment, the serum cholesterol levels in the 5 and the 10% RKM groups and the liver cholesterol level in the 10% RKM group were significantly lower than those in the control groups.At the end of the 12th week, the serum cholesterol levels of all the three RKM groups were lowered to a normal level as was the liver cholesterol level of the 10% RKM group.The lipolropic effect of RKM was also confirmed by histopathologic examination of the livers.In addition to the hypocholesterolemic effects, RKM diets also increased stool bulk.Minor effects on the absorption and utilization of Ca, Fe, Zn, and Cu were found. 1990 Academic Press.inc.