Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the influence of dietray food from the three CHinese medicinal herbs(Mugwort, Dried organge peel and Duchung) on lipi d metabolism in rats. Male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain were divided into four dietary groups(Cellulose (CL), Mugwort(MW), Dried organge peel9OP), Duchung(DC)) after three weeks of hyperlipidemic dieting and were fed ad libitum each of the experimental diets for six weeks. The fiber sources of the experimental diets were prepared by drying and milling mugwort, orange peel, duchung and cellulose. Each of the Fiber sources was mixed into the diet to achieve 10g% levels of total dietary fiber. Levels of apparent fat absorption exhibited a significant decrease in the MW and DC groups. The OP group also showed a decreasing trend, but to a lesser extent. The levels of serum total lipid were not significantly different among the four experimental groups. Total serum cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the OP grop that in both the CM and MW group. Serum TG and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the DL group than other groups. Serum HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly levels were significantly lower in the CL group than in the other groups. Total lipid and total cholesterol in liver were significantly higher in the CL group than in the other groups. Total lipid and total cholesterol in feces displayed a significantly increase in the MW and DC groups when compared with the CL group. The OP group also showed an increase compared to the CL group.