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Supplementation of difructose anhydride III enhanced elevation of plasma equol concentrations and lowered plasma total cholesterol in isoflavone-fed rats

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2008

Akiko Tamura ,
Megumi Nishimukai ,
Norihiro Shigematsu  and
Hiroshi Hara
Akiko Tamura
Affiliation:
Research Institute, FANCL Co., 12-13 Kamishinano Totsuka-Ku, Yokohama 244-0806, Japan Division of Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University Kita-9 Nisi-9 Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan
Megumi Nishimukai
Affiliation:
Division of Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University Kita-9 Nisi-9 Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan
Norihiro Shigematsu
Affiliation:
Research Institute, FANCL Co., 12-13 Kamishinano Totsuka-Ku, Yokohama 244-0806, Japan
Hiroshi Hara*
Affiliation:
Division of Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University Kita-9 Nisi-9 Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Hiroshi Hara, fax +81 11 706 2504, email hara@chem.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
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Abstract

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Equol, a derivative of daidzein produced by enterobacteria, has greater activity as a phyto-oestrogen compared with daidzein. Difructose anhydride III (DFAIII) is a newly manufactured non-digestible disaccharide with unique fermentation properties. The present study evaluated the prebiotic effects of DFAIII on equol production and on plasma cholesterol concentrations related to the changes in equol production. We compared plasma equol concentrations at 10.00 and 18.00 hours and faecal isoflavone excretion in three groups of seven rats (male Wistar-ST strain, 6 weeks old) fed a basal diet or a DFAIII or fructooligosaccharide (15/g diet) diet containing 1g soya isoflavone/g diet for 20d. Equol concentrations in the DFAIII group were higher than in the control and fructooligosaccharides groups, especially in the later phase of the light period (18.00 hours) throughout the experiment. Daizein and genistein concentrations did not change between the diet groups. The faecal ratios of equol:daidzein were very high in all groups, but the ratios were higher in the DFAIII group than the control and fructooligosaccharide groups on day 3, and this tendency continued throughout the experiment. On day 20, the plasma total cholesterol concentration was lowest in the DFAIII group. Additionally, the cholesterol concentrations were inversely correlated to plasma equol concentration in all the rats. In conclusion, DFAIII efficiently enhanced plasma equol concentrations, which may be associated with an increase in equol production and a decrease in equol degradation by enterobacteria. Higher plasma equol concentrations may contribute to the hypocholesterolaemic effect of DFAIII feeding.

Keywords

Difructose anhydride IIIFructooligosaccharidesEquolTotal cholesterol

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 96 , Issue 3 , September 2006 , pp. 442 - 449
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2006

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