A Freshwater Clam (Corbicula fluminea) Extract Reduces Cholesterol Level and Hepatic Lipids in Normal Rats and Xenobiotics-induced Hypercholesterolemic Rats

We investigated whether a freshwater clam (Corbicula fluminea) extract (FCE) could improve cholesterol metabolism and hepatic lipids accumulation in rats fed xenobiotics such as chloretone. Feeding chloretone resulted in hypercholesterolemia and fatty liver. An increase in serum cholesterol, high density lipoproteins (HDL) in particular, after intake of chloretone was observed. Serum cholesterol was decreased by supplementation with FCE. Accumulation of the hepatic lipids including triacylglycerol, cholesterol, and phospholipid was significantly suppressed by supplementation with FCE. The excretion of neutral and acidic sterols into the feces was enhanced by FCE. The hepatic gene expression of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase was enhanced in rats fed a FCE-containing diet. Apolipoprotein A-I gene expression in the liver, which is a major apolipoprotein of HDL, was suppressed by FCE. These results demonstrated that FCE reduced cholesterol level and hepatic lipids in normal rats and hypercholesterolemic rats fed chloretone.