The influence of persimmon peel and persimmon pulp on the lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity of rats fed cholesterol

The aim of this study was to compare the hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant effects of two diets supplemented with dry persimmon in rats fed cholesterol (C). Three groups of male Wistar rats each of 13 animals during 4 weeks were fed different diets: the control group (CG)—semipurified diet with 1% of C and two experimental groups (EG1) and (EG2)—the same diet fortified with 7% of dry persimmon peel and dry persimmon pulp, respectively. In animals of all three groups before and after the 4-week trial period total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides (TG), and lipid peroxides (LP) were examined. After the completion of the experiment a statistically significant increase in plasma TC and LDL-C in all three groups was found. In the animals of EG1 this increase was statistically less significant than in CG (P , 0.05 and P , 0.025 for TC and LDL-C, respectively). A statistically significant increase in the level of HDL-C was observed. The smallest one was in EG1. But only in the EG1 the HDL-C/TC ratio was increased more significantly (from 0.56 to 0.59). In EG1 a statistically less significant increase in LP than in CG (P , 0.01) was registered. The present results demonstrate that persimmon fruit exercises a hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant effects and therefore is considered for an antiatherosclerotic diet. A diet fortified with dry persimmon peel is more efficient than the same diet fortified with dry persimmon pulp. Therefore the persimmon peel showing the effectiveness of its antioxidant activity can be used by individual consumers and in industrial processing. (J. Nutr. Biochem. 9:223–227, 1998) © Elsevier Science Inc. 1998