Lipid-lowering effect of eriocitrin, the main flavonoid in lemon fruit, in rats on a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet

Eriocitrin (eriodictyol 7-O-beta-rutinoside) is the main flavonoid in lemon fruit. In this study, eriocitrin was investigated for its lowering effect on serum and hepatic lipids in high-fat and high-cholesterol fed rats. Rats in the control group (N = 6) were fed a 20% lard and 1% cholesterol diet for 21 d, and rats in the 0.35% eriocitrin group (N = 6) and 0.70% eriocitrin group (N = 6) were fed a diet supplemented with eriocitrin 0.35% and 0.70%, respectively. The content of hepatic total cholesterol and triglyceride in the phospholipid in the serum of the 0.35% eriocitrin group showed a significantly lower concentrations than the control group (P < 0.05), although there was no difference in the HDL concentrations among the groups. The lowering effect of eriocitrin for serum total cholesterol was thought to be caused by a decrease in VLDL+LDL. The 0.35% eriocitrin group was shown to have a significant increase in excretion of fecal bile acid (P < 0.05) and a tendency for enhanced hepatic m-RNA levels of LDL receptor in comparison with the control group.