Activity of psyllium hydrophilic colloid for reducing serum cholesterol in sea quail fed a diet supplemented with cholesterol.

Groups of six SEA quail were fed a 0.5% cholesterol supplemented diet to which was added 3, 6, and 10% microcrystalline cellulose (controls) or the same concentrations of psyllium hydrophilic colloid for a period of 14 days. Total serum cholesterol was measured enzymically on each animal at the end of the treatment period. Cellulose control cholesterol values averaged approximately 1500 mg/dl overall. Psyllium hydrophilic colloid had no significant effect on total serum cholesterol at either 3% or 6% in the diet but did reduce cholesterol significantly by 52% at the 10% dietary level. These results demonstrate that SEA quail appear to be less sensitive to the hypocholesterolemic action of psyllium than are chickens.