EFFECTS OF PROPIONATE ON CHOLESTEROL METABOLISM IN FINISHING PIGS / 营养学报

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the effects of dietary sodium propionate on cholesterol metabolism in finishing pigs. Methods: A total of 96 finishing pigs (Duroc?Landrance?Jia) were randomly alotted to four groups. The groups received the same basal corn-soybean meal diet and sodium propionate was added to the basal diet in the concentrations of 0.5、1.0、1.5 % at the expense of corn, respectively. At the end of the feeding trial, eight pigs from each treatment were slaughtered. Results: (1) Pigs supplemented with 1.0% and 1.5% sodium propionate had significantly lower serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and greater ratios of high density lipoprotein/low density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to the control. Pigs supplemented with 1.5% sodium propionate had significantly lower serum very low density lipoprotein cholesterol. (2) Supplementation with 1.0% and 1.5% sodium propionate significantly decreased the cholesterol content in liver and the activity of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. (3) Supplementation with sodium propionate had no significant effects on growth performance, colonic or serum short-chain acid concentrations, fecal cholesterol or bile acid excretion. Conclusion: Sodium propionate may decrease the activity of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and suppress the synthesis of cholesterol.