Malinow M R, McLaughlin P, Stafford C
Am J Clin Nutr. 1978 May;31(5):814-8. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/31.5.814.
Digitonin mixed in the diet was well tolerated by rats and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), and prevented the expected rise in plasma cholesterol in monkeys fed a diet containing butter and cholesterol. Both digitonin and mildly hydrolyzed digitonin precipitated cholesterol dispersed in micellar suspensions and decreased intestinal absorption of cholesterol in rats, but only digitonin bound cholesterol in vitro. The hypocholesterolemic effect of digitonin may be secondary to decreased intestinal absorption of cholesterol associated with a disturbance in the micellar suspension of cholesterol in the intestinal content. Modification of other mechanisms that may be involved in membrane transport of cholesterol through the intestinal epithelium is not ruled out by the present findings.
饮食中混入洋地黄皂苷后，大鼠和食蟹猴（猕猴）耐受性良好，并且在喂食含有黄油和胆固醇的饮食的猴子中，洋地黄皂苷可防止血浆胆固醇出现预期的升高。洋地黄皂苷和轻度水解的洋地黄皂苷均可使分散在胶束悬浮液中的胆固醇沉淀，并降低大鼠肠道对胆固醇的吸收，但只有洋地黄皂苷在体外能结合胆固醇。洋地黄皂苷的降胆固醇作用可能继发于肠道对胆固醇吸收的减少，这与肠道内容物中胆固醇胶束悬浮液的紊乱有关。目前的研究结果并未排除可能参与胆固醇通过肠上皮细胞进行膜转运的其他机制发生改变的可能性。
