Hypolipidaemic effect of oligosaccharides derived from Lycium barbarum polysaccharides

摘要

Hyperlipidaemia is one of major risk factors for the development of coronary artery diseases and atherosclerosis and therapeutic drugs must be developed for it. Lycium barbarum fruit is used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, L. barbarum oligosaccharides (LBOs) were prepared through hydrolysis with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and their hypolipidaemic activities were evaluated. A total of 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were categorised into three treatment groups fed with high fat, LBOs and normal-fat diets, respectively. Oral administration of LBOs decreased body weight gain, total cholesterol level, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and liver weight. LBOs diet also increased the levels of faecal fat, cholesterol and plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as the activity of liver and serum lipoprotein lipases. Results suggested that LBOs exhibited high hypolipidaemic activity and could be explored as possible therapeutic agents for hyperlipidaemia.