Effect of oyster mushroom and isolated beta-glucan on lipid peroxidation and on the activities of antioxidative enzymes in rats fed the cholesterol diet

The effect of 5% dried oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) or beta-glucan isolated from oyster mushroom on cholesterol levels in serum and liver on lipid peroxidation, and on activities of antioxidative enzymes was studied in male Wistar rats. Animals were Sed a diet with 0.3% cholesterol for 10 weeks after weaning. The diet containing whole oyster mushroom strikingly reduced cholesterol content in serum and in liver (by 27 and 46%, respectively). in addition, a shift in cholesterol distribution in lipoproteins (70% decrease in very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and 50% increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) was observed beta-glucan in the diet did not affect cholesterol levels in serum and liver Whole oyster mushroom reduced the levels of conjugated dienes irt erythrocytes and in liver (by 40% and 36%, respectively), reduced the activity of catalase in erythrocytes and stimulated the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione per oxidase in liver by 30% to 70%. The diet supplemented with beta-glucan did not affect neither lipid peroxidation non-activities of antioxidative enzymes. (C) Elsevier Science Inc. 1997.