[Fundamental study on the cholesterol-lowering effect of whole turtle egg powder in SD rats].

OBJECTIVE: In order to study the cholesterol-lowering effects of whole turtle egg powder. METHODS: Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups according to body weight and serum cholesterol levels. They were fed one of five diets, a chow diet, a high fat supplemented diet (HF) and a HF diet supplemented with 0.75, 1.50 and or 3.00 g/kg BW whole turtle egg powder. After 24 weeks, collecting of the fecal and blood, serum total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were determined by enzymic methods on an automatic analyzer. RESULTS: The serum TC levels were significantly decreased in both 1.50 g/kg BW group and 3.00 g/kg BW group compared with the HF rats (P < 0.05). Both 1.50 g/kg BW and 3.00 g/kg BW whole turtle egg powder increased fecal cholesterol, coprostanol and coprostanone excretion as well as total bile acids. CONCLUSION: The whole turtle egg powder lowered serum cholesterol by increasing the fecal steroids and turtle bile acids excretion.