Broccoli ( Brassica oleracea var. italica) sprouts and extracts rich in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates affect cholesterol metabolism and genes involved in lipid homeostasis in hamsters.
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Resum
This study investigated the effects of broccoli sprouts (BS) on sterol and lipid homeostasis in Syrian hamsters with dietary-induced hypercholesterolemia. Treatments included freeze-dried BS containing 2 or 20 μmol of glucoraphanine (BSX, BS10X), glucoraphanine-rich BS extract (GRE), sulforaphane-rich BS extract (SFE), and simvastatin. Each experimental diet was offered to eight animals (male and female) for 7 weeks. Hepatic cholesterol was reduced by BS10X and SFE treatments in all animals. This correlated with a down-regulation of gene expression of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP-1 and -2) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) caused by GRE and SFE diets. BS10X caused changes in gene expression in a gender-specific manner; additionally, it increased coprostanol excretion in females. With the same concentration of glucoraphanin, consumption of broccoli sprouts (BS10X) had more marked effects on cholesterol homeostasis than GRE; this finding reinforces the importance of the matrix effects on the bioactivity of functional ingredients.