Plasma total, lipoprotein cholesterol, organs cholesterol and growth performance in rats fed dietary gum arabic

Thirty two male Wistar rats with initial body weight ranging from 45 to 55 g were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments. Rats were fed with ad libitum access diets containing 7.5% as cellulose or gum arabic with or without 1% added cholesterol for five weeks. Final body weight, body weight gain and feed efficiency ratio were comparable in all groups. Within cholesterol-fed groups, the cholesterol concentration of plasma was significantly lower in rats fed diet supplemented with gum arabic compared with those fed cellulose. Among cholesterol-fed groups, liver cholesterol was significantly higher in the group fed diet supplemented with gum arabic compared with those fed cellulose. In rats fed cholesterol-free diets, the cholesterol levels of plasma, LDL, HDL and liver were comparable.