The effect of dietary safflower phospholipid and soybean phospholipid on plasma and liver lipids in rats fed a hypercholesterolemic diet.

The effect of dietary safflower phospholipid (Saf-PL) and soybean phospholipid (Soy-PL) on plasma, liver, and fecal lipids in rats fed a hypercholesterolemic diet was compared with that of triglyceride mixture (controls). Triglyceride mixture (SP-Oil) of safflower oil and palm oil (8:2) contained almost comparable amounts of linoleic acid to safflower phospholipid or soybean phospholipid. Concentration of total cholesterol in plasma of rats fed the Saf-PL and Soy-PL diets were significantly decreased in comparison with that of the SP-Oil diet. Similarly, both Saf-PL and Soy-PL induced a reduction in the concentration of liver cholesterol compared with SP-Oil; Saf-PL indicated the lowest value. Saf-PL only significantly increased the level of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The level of chylomicron plus very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol was lower in rats fed the Saf-PL and Soy-PL diets than that of the SP-Oil diet. The activity of plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) was increased in rats fed Saf-PL and Soy-PL. Saf-PL and Soy-PL caused an enhanced excretion of fecal neutral steroids, but not acidic steroids compared with SP-Oil. These results suggest that, in addition to soybean phospholipid, safflower phospholipid suppresses the elevation of plasma and liver cholesterol and that this effect may be brought about by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine.