Effects of Surface-Deacetylated Chitin Nanofibers in an Experimental Model of Hypercholesterolemia

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Kazuo Azuma³  Tomone Nagae²  Takeshi Nagai¹  Hironori Izawa²  Minoru Morimoto⁴  Yusuke Murahata³  Tomohiro Osaki³  Takeshi Tsuka³  Tomohiro Imagawa³  Norihiko Ito³  Yoshiharu Okamoto³  Hiroyuki Saimoto²  Shinsuke Ifuku² 

[1] Japan Food Research Laboratories, Tama 206-0025, Japan; E-Mail:;Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8552, Japan; E-Mails:;Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8533, Japan; E-Mails:;Division of Instrumental Analysis, Research Center for Bioscience and Technology, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8550, Japan; E-Mail:

关键词: surface-deacetylated chitin nanofibers;    chitin nanofibers;    chitosan;    hypercholesterolemia;    rats;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms160817445

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

This study evaluated the effects of oral administration of surface-deacetylated chitin nanofibers (SDACNFs) on hypercholesterolemia using an experimental model. All rats were fed a high cholesterol diet with 1% w/w cholesterol and 0.5% w/w cholic acid for 28 days. Rats were divided equally into four groups: the control group was administered 0.05% acetic acid dissolved in tap water, and the SDACNF, chitosan (CS), and cellulose nanofiber (CLNF) groups were administered 0.1% CNF, CS, or CLNF dissolved in the tap water, respectively, during the experimental period. Changes in body weight, intake of food and water, and organ weight were measured. Serum blood chemistry and histopathological examination of the liver were performed. Administration of SDACNF did not affect body weight change, food and water intake, or organ weights. Administration of SDACNF and CS decreased the diet-induced increase in serum total cholesterol, chylomicron, very-low-density lipoprotein, and phospholipid levels on day 14. Moreover, oral administration of SDACNFs suppressed the increase of alanine transaminase levels on day 29 and suppressed vacuolar degeneration and accumulation of lipid droplets in liver tissue. These data indicate that SDACNF has potential as a functional food for patients with hypercholesterolemia.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.