The resistant starch from sorghum regulates lipid metabolism in menopausal rats via equol

Equol is a metabolite of daidzein and has a higher biological activity than daidzein. High levels of non-starch polysaccharides can stimulate fermentation in the intestine leading to rapid conversion of daidzein into equol that has great potential to reduce obesity in postmenopausal women. In the present study, female Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish a menopausal model by oral administration of formestane and to compare the protective effect of resistant starch on lipid metabolism, with or without soybean feed. The resistant starch was found to effectively control body weight and adipose tissue quality, while increasing the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration and lowering the glycerol, triacylglycerols (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations with soybean feed. Equol inhibited the expression of SREBPC1 gene by inhibiting SHP in the liver via transcription factor FXR, thereby inhibiting the synthesis of triglyceride and fatty acid in the liver. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Intake of a certain amount of resistant starch while eating the soy product can better regulate lipid metabolism in menopausal obese rats compared to consumption of resistant starch alone. Studies have shown that resistant starch converts daidzein to Equol by regulating the structure of the intestinal flora and acts as an estrogen in menopausal rats. This research will further expand the health applications of resistant starch and provide useful information for the food industry.

Keywords: equol; lipid metabolism; resistant starch; sorghum.