Affiliations: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Catholic
University of Daegu, Korea | Taegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, Korea
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. Sung-Hee Cho, Department of Food
Science and Nutrition, Catholic University of Daegu, 330 Keumrak 1ri,
Hayang-up, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk 712-702, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 53 850
3524; Fax: +82 53 3504; E-mail: shcho@cu.ac.kr
Abstract: A primary methanol extract (F-ME), secondary butanol-soluble
fraction (F-BU), and lignans were prepared from forsythia fruit (Forsythia
viridissima L.) and added to 0.5% (w/w) cholesterol diets for male
Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 121 ± 12 g. There were six
experimental groups: a control group, 0.2%, 0.4% F-ME supplemented groups,
0.1%, 0.02% F-BU groups and 0.02% lignan group. After 3 weeks of feeding,
body weight gains, serum GOT and GPT levels were not different among the
groups. HDL-/total cholesterol ratios increased in the 0.2% F-BU and lignan
groups compared with the control groups. Liver triglyceride level lowered in
most of forsythia groups. Fecal cholesterol excretions increased in the lignan
group. Arctiin isolated from the forsythia fruit reduced cholesterol and
triglyceride contents in cultured HepG2 cells at
0.01–0.1 μM. These results indicated that the forsythia
lignan, arctiin is effective on improving blood lipid status without a
significant hepatotoxicity and is to be utilized for the functional foods for
lipid-lowering action.
