The Long-Term Effects of Dietary Sucrose Polyester on African Green Monkeys

Abstract

AbstractSucrose polyester (SPE) is a nonabsorbable fat which has been shown to lower plasma cholesterol concentrations when incorporated into the diet of human volunteers. This study was designed to assess the long-term (15 months) effect of oral administration of SPE on plasma cholesterol concentrations, body weights, and health of African green monkeys, a species similar to man in its lipid metabolism. All animals were fed for 2 months a high-cholesterol-containing diet to induce hypercholesterolemia. To simulate therapeutic intervention, dietary cholesterol was then decreased substantially and the effects of high or low (40 or 25%) fat content and presence or absence of SPE in the diet (as about 10% of diet) were assessed. There were four groups of animals: Group I (low fat-no SPE), Group II (high fat-no SPE), Group III (low fat-SPE), and Group IV (high fat-SPE). SPE administration resulted in 36% (high fat-SPE) and 40% (low fat-SPE) reductions in mean plasma cholesterol concentrations compared to 23% ...