Comparison of the effect of two types of whole mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) powders on intestinal fermentation in rats.

The effects of two types of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus; white, WM; brown, BM) powders on intestinal fermentation in rats were investigated in terms of the physical characteristics of animals and by bacterial and HPLC analyses of cecal contents. Short-chain fatty acid levels were found to be significantly higher in the WM group than in the BM and the control (CN) groups; coliform bacteria levels in the BM group were significantly lower than those in the CN group, with the WM group inducing an apparent but insignificant decrease in coliforms. Anaerobe levels in the WM group were significantly higher than those in the CN group and, compared with the CN group, the BM and WM groups exhibited significantly increased feces weight and cecum weight, respectively. These results indicate that the mushroom powders, and in particular the WM powder, have beneficial effects on the intestinal environment in rats.

Inulin-type fructans with different degrees of polymerization improve lipid metabolism but not glucose metabolism in rats fed a high-fat diet under energy restriction.

BACKGROUND: Inulin-type fructan ameliorates metabolic diseases associated with obesity in animals. However, relatively little information is available on the comparative effects of inulins with different degree of polymerization (DP) on the lipid or glucose metabolism. AIM: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of inulins with various DP on metabolic disorders associated with obesity in rats fed a high-fat diet under food restriction. METHODS: Rats were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with 5 % inulin-GR (Raftiline GR), inulin-Tokachi (Tokachi), or inulin-HP (Raftiline HP) without cellulose for 28 days at normal energy intakes or 14.5 % energy restriction. RESULTS: Under food restriction, the dietary inulin-Tokachi (mean DP 15) and -HP (mean DP 24), but not -GR (mean DP 10), reduced (p < 0.05) the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and liver triglyceride concentration in rats, compared to the control diet. The cecal neutral steroid, bile acid, and propionate concentrations in the Tokachi and HP groups were higher (p < 0.05) than in the CONT group, and the cecal Bifidobacterium count in the Tokachi group was higher (p < 0.05) than in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that, depending on DP, dietary supplementation with inulin (DP 15 or DP 24) in rats fed a high-fat diet, regardless of food intake, positively modulates lipid metabolism and fecal microbiota but not glucose metabolism.

Dietary L-cysteine improves the antioxidative potential and lipid metabolism in rats fed a normal diet.

L-cysteine works as a precursor of the antioxidant, glutathione. We investigated the effects of L-cysteine (1% and 2%) on lipid metabolism and the antioxidative system in rats fed a normal diet. Administering L-cysteine dependently decreased the food intake, fat mass weight and body weight dose. Dietary L-cysteine also decreased the triglyceride levels in the serum and liver. However, there were no significant differences in the hepatic TBARS and glutathione (GSH) levels among the groups. The activities of catalase and glutathione reductase in the rats receiving 2% L-cysteine were significantly higher (p<0.05) than in the control rats. These results suggest that dietary L-cysteine dose-dependently affected the antioxidative enzyme activities, and the lipid levels in the serum and liver which might be related to the reduced food intake.

Timing of puberty and its relationship with body growth and season in male raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Hokkaido.

The raccoon (Procyon lotor), indigenous to North America, has naturalized in Japan as an invasive alien species, having been introduced into the country in the 1970s. In Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, feral raccoons have been increasing in number and spreading throughout the island. The age at the onset of puberty for raccoons is important for estimating individual lifetime reproductive success and population growth. The present study investigated the timing of and potential factors affecting the onset of puberty in male raccoons in Hokkaido. External characteristics and histology of testes were studied in 151 male feral raccoons and in 1 captive juvenile. For the majority of feral yearling raccoons, prepubertal development began in May, and spermatozoa production began in October prior to their second mating season. However, some larger juveniles attained puberty during the juvenile period. The captive juvenile, which was fed throughout the winter, attained puberty only 11 months after birth. These results suggest that if male raccoons can achieve enough body growth before the first mating season, puberty can be attained early. In both juveniles and yearlings, spermatozoa production was only observed after autumn. This timing coincided with the recrudescence of seasonally active spermatogenesis in adult males. Therefore, attaining puberty in male raccoons appears to require both adequate body nutrient development and several environmental factors that control seasonal testicular changes.

Japanese butterbur (Petasites japonicus) leaves increase hepatic oxidative stress in male rats.

We investigated the adverse effects of Japanese butterbur leaves (Petasites japonicus, Compositae) in male F344/DuCrj rats. The rats were fed a control diet or a treatment diet containing 5% butterbur leaf powder for 4 weeks. No differences were observed in body weight gain, food intake or feed efficiency between treatments, but relative liver weight in the butterbur group was significantly higher than that of the control group. In addition, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) and glutathione levels in the serum and liver of the butterbur group were higher than those of the control group. Hepatic glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities and mRNA expression in the butterbur leaf group were higher than in the control group. Furthermore, hepatic cytochrome 2E1 mRNA expression was higher than in the control group. In vitro, an acetone extract of the butterbur leaf powder showed the strongest increase in TBARs level in a hepatic homogenate through 4 d. Our findings suggest that feeding 5% butterbur leaf powder to rats can cause adverse effects by increasing oxidative stress.

Amelioration of D-galactosamine-induced acute liver injury in rats by dietary supplementation with betaine derived from sugar beet molasses.

The effects of betaine supplementation on D-galactosamine-induced liver injury were examined in terms of hepatic and serum enzyme activities and of the levels of glutathione and betaine-derived intermediates. The rats induced with liver injury showed marked increases in serum enzyme activity, but those receiving dietary supplementation of 1% betaine showed enzyme activity levels similar to a control group without liver injury. Administration of betaine also increased both hepatic and serum glutathione levels, even following D-galactosamine injection. The activity of glutathione-related enzymes was markedly decreased following injection of D-galactosamine, but remained comparable to that of the control group in rats receiving 1% betaine. The concentrations of hepatic S-adenosyl methionine and cysteine showed similar trends to that observed for hepatic glutathione levels. These results indicate that 1% betaine has a hepatoprotective effect by increasing hepatic and serum glutathione levels along with glutathione-related enzyme activities in rats.

Genetic population structure of invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Hokkaido, Japan: Unique phenomenon caused by pet escape or abandonment.

Phylogeographic studies can resolve relationships between genetic population structure of organisms and geographical distributions. Raccoons have become feral in Japan, and in Hokkaido island, they have been rapidly increasing in number and spreading since the 1970s. We analyzed mitochondrial (mtDNA) and microsatellite DNA to understand the current phylogenetic distribution and invasive founder events. Overall, Hokkaido raccoons maintained high genetic diversity (i.e., the level of heterozygosity was comparable to the original habitat, North America). Based on mtDNA distribution and microsatellite diversity, Hokkaido raccoons were divided into six management units. However, mtDNA haplotype distributions and genetic structures based on microsatellites did not always correspond to each other (e.g., two geographically and genetically separated populations showed similar mtDNA distributions). In addition, a high degree of genetic admixture was observed in every unit, and the degree of genetic differentiation was low even between regions separated by long distances. Compared with other countries in Europe where genetic distribution of introduced raccoons is more clearly structured, the current results represent a unique and complex phenomenon of pet escape/abandonment in Hokkaido: i.e., genetically related colonies were introduced into multiple regions as founder events, resulting in the current state in which raccoons are not clearly genetically differentiated even 40 years after introduction.

Dietary adzuki bean paste dose-dependently reduces visceral fat accumulation in rats fed a normal diet.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the dose-dependent effect of adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) paste (ABP) on visceral fat accumulation in rats. ABP is a rich source of indigestible carbohydrates (18.5%) with fiber and resistant starch (RS) contents of 14.5% and 4.0%, respectively. Animals were fed one of the following diets, control (CON), 30% ABP or 58.9% ABP for 28 days. The daily dietary energy intake was lowered (p < 0.05) and reduced visceral fat accumulation and lower serum lipid levels were observed in ABP fed groups. ABP consumption dose-dependently increased (p < 0.05) the daily fecal lipid and fecal acidic sterol excretions. On the other hand, cecal content and fecal moisture content in the 58.9% ABP group were greater (p < 0.05) than the CON group, while there was no significant difference between the two ABP fed groups. Both 30% and 58.9% ABP diets had significantly (p < 0.05) higher contents of cecal acetic, propionic and n-butyric acids, and lowered cecal pH, independently of the ABP dose. Microbial community data of rats fed ABP diets exhibited higher alpha-diversities than the rats fed CON diet, based on the Shannon Index and the number of observed species index, where the two ABP groups exhibited a similar alpha diversity. The weighted UniFrac-based principal coordinate analysis plot of cecal microbial community data showed that the ABP had a substantial effect on the cecal microbial composition. Furthermore, cecal bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the ABP supplemented diets decreased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. These findings suggested that the cecal fermentation of fiber and RS in ABP, might have decreased the energy intake, altered the gut microbiota composition, increased fecal lipid output, and thereby reduced fat accumulation in rats.

Effect of fermented bean paste on serum lipids in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet.

We examined the effects of fermented bean pastes derived from bean vinegar by-products on serum cholesterol in rats. The rats were fed boiled paste from adzuki (A), kintoki (K), or tebou (T), or fermented paste from adzuki (AP), kintoki (KP), or tebou (TP) for 4 weeks. The serum non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels in all the experimental groups, except for A group, were significantly lower than in the control (CN) group. Likewise, the serum triglyceride levels in K and all the fermented bean groups were significantly lower than in the CN group. The levels of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase mRNA in all the experimental groups except for A were significantly lower than in the CN group. These findings indicate that fermented bean pastes also suppress cholesterol synthesis, resulting in a reduced serum cholesterol concentration. These effects might be related not only to the resistant starch but also to the protein or peptide in the fermented bean paste.

Effect of white wheat bread containing sugar beet fiber on serum lipids and hepatic mRNA in rats fed on a cholesterol-free diet.

We examined the effects of white wheat bread powder (BP) and white wheat bread powder containing sugar beet fiber (BBP) on serum cholesterol. The total cholesterol (-11%, -16%), HDL-cholesterol (-12%, -11%), non-HDL-cholesterol (-9%, -18%) and triacylglycerol (-44%, -58%) concentrations in the BP and BBP groups, respectively, were significantly different from those in the control group. The fecal excretion of neutral sterols in the BP and BBP groups and of acidic sterols in the BBP group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) mRNA level in the BP and BBP groups was significantly higher than that in the control group. The cecal total short-chain fatty acid concentrations in the BBP group were significantly higher than those in the control group. These results indicate that the observed changes in serum lipid levels in the BP and BBP groups were due to the increased fecal lipid and CYP7A1 mRNA levels.

Potato and soy peptide diets modulate lipid metabolism in rats.

Dietary plant and animal peptides have been shown to reduce serum lipids. However, the potential of food-derived peptides has yet to be fully elucidated. We investigated the physiological importance of potato peptides in rats fed on a cholesterol-free diet containing 20% potato peptides (PP), when compared with two diets containing either 20% casein (CN) or 20% soy peptides (SP). The high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (+13.8%) and serum triglyceride (-38%) concentrations in the PP-fed group, non-HDL-cholesterol level in the PP- (-22.5%) and SP- (-15.7%) fed groups, and serum total cholesterol concentration (-12%) in the SP-fed group, were significantly different from the control group at the end of the experiment. The fecal excretion of neutral and acidic sterols was higher in the PP- and SP-fed groups, respectively, relative to the control group. These results indicate that the observed changes in the serum cholesterol levels in rats fed on soy and potato peptide appear to have been due to different mechanisms.

Feeding potato flakes affects cecal short-chain fatty acids, microflora and fecal bile acids in rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Feeding rats potato resistant starch improves large bowel health; however, there is little information on the physiological effects of preprocessed starch like potato flakes in animal experiments. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of the consumption of various colored potato (white, red and purple) flakes on cecal fermentation and fecal bile acid excretions in rats. METHODS: The control group was fed a basal diet (BD) containing alpha-cornstarch for 4 weeks. The potato flake-treated groups were fed one of the following diets containing a mixture of 299.5 g/kg alpha-cornstarch plus 250 g/kg Hokkai kogane flakes (HK, white), Hokkai No. 91 flakes (H91, red) or Hokkai No. 92 flakes (H92, purple). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the body weight, food intake and cecum weight among the groups. Cecal pH values in the HK, H91 and H92 groups were significantly lower than that in the BD group, and matter excretion in the H91 group was significantly higher than in the BD and HK groups. Cecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in the HK, H91 and H92 groups were significantly higher than in the BD group, and the molar ratio of butyrate to total SCFA in the HK, H91 and H92 groups was greatly increased compared with the BD group. Rats fed the HK, H91 and H92 potato flake diets presented significantly higher counts of total anaerobes in the cecum than rats fed the BD. The cecal Lactobacillus count in the H91 group was significantly increased compared to the BD group and the Bifidobacterium count was similar for all groups. Fecal total bile acid excretion in the H92 flake group and secondary bile acid excretions in the H91 and H92 groups were significantly greater than those in the other groups and in the BD and HK groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that potato flakes act like resistant starch and raise bowel SCFA, probably through anaerobic bacterial activities and fermentation of residual starch. These actions are helpful for the improvement of the colonic environment.

Tartary buckwheat sprout powder lowers plasma cholesterol level in rats.

We examined the effects of different types of buckwheat sprouts on the plasma cholesterol concentration, fecal steroid excretion and hepatic mRNA expression related to cholesterol metabolism in rats. Rats were fed a cholesterol-free diet with 5 g of Kitawasesoba common buckwheat sprout powder (KS)/100 g, 5 g of Hokkai T no. 8 tartary buckwheat sprout powder (HS-8)/100 g or 5 g of Hokkai T no. 9 tartary buckwheat sprout powder (HS-9)/100 g of diet for 4 wk. Control rats were fed a diet with alpha-cornstarch instead of sprout powder for 4 wk. There were no significant differences in food intake, body weight, liver weight or cecal contents among the groups. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations in the HS-8 and HS-9 groups were significantly lower than in the control group, whereas there was no significant difference between the KS and control groups. Fecal bile acid excretion and cecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations in the KS, HS-8 and HS-9 groups were significantly greater than in the control group. Furthermore, fecal matter excretion in the KS, HS-8 and HS-9 groups tended to be increased compared to the control group, with that in the HS-8 group being significantly higher than in the control group. Hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA expression in the KS, HS-8 and HS-9 groups and hepatic HMG-CoA reductase mRNA expression in the HS-9 group were significantly higher than in the control group. The results suggest that tartary buckwheat sprout powder has a serum cholesterol-lowering function by enhancing fecal bile acid excretion through increased fecal matter excretion or the upregulation of hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA expression in rats.

Dietary fat content modulates the hypolipidemic effect of dietary inulin in rats.

SCOPE: Dietary fat content (low versus high fat) may modulate the serum lipid-lowering effect of high-performance (HP)-inulin. This study investigated the effect of dietary HP-inulin on metabolism in rats fed a low- or high-fat diet. METHODS AND RESULTS: Rats were fed a diet of 5% fat with 5% cellulose or 5% HP-inulin (average degree of polymerization = 24) (low-fat diet) or of 20% fat with 5% cellulose or 5% HP-inulin (high-fat diet) for 28 days. Total, HDL, and non-HDL cholesterols, and triglyceride concentrations in the serum were measured along with total lipid content of liver and feces. Hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol, and fecal neutral and acidic sterol concentrations in total lipid were assessed. In addition, cecum SCFA levels and bacterial profiles were determined. The hypolipidemic effect of HP-inulin differed depending on dietary fat content (5% versus 20%). Specifically, 5% inulin instead of cellulose in a semi-purified diet significantly reduced serum lipid levels in rats fed a high-fat diet, which was strongly associated with increased total lipid and neutral sterol excretion. CONCLUSION: Dietary fat content modulates the hypolipidemic effect of dietary inulin.

Potato pulps lowered the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats.

In our previous study, we demonstrated that retrograded starch, a kind of resistant starch, of beans reduced serum lipid levels in rats. In this study, we examined whether retrograded starch in potato pulps could reduce serum lipid concentrations. Rats were given diets containing 15 g of retrograded starch in potato pulps from the Benimaru potato (BM) or Hokkaikogane potato (HK) in a 100 g diet for 4 wk. At the 4th week, the total cholesterol level in the serum in the BM group and serum triglyceride (TG) level in the HK group were significantly lower than those in the control group. In the BM group, the contents of fecal bile acids were significantly higher than those in the control group. On the other hand, in the HK group, the hepatic mRNA level of fatty acid synthase (FAS) was significantly lower than that in the control group. The FAS mRNA level correlated with the mRNA level of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), a regulator of expression of FAS, positively. These results suggested that BM pulp promoted the excretion of bile acids, which resulted in a low concentration of serum cholesterol. On the other hand, HK pulp inhibited the synthesis of fatty acids at the mRNA levels of FAS and SREBP-1c, which might lead to a reduction of the serum TG level.

Spent turmeric reduces fat mass in rats fed a high-fat diet.

Indigestible carbohydrates may improve obesity. Spent turmeric contains high levels of dietary fibre and resistant starch (RS), which have fermentation potential in vitro. We hypothesised that indigestible carbohydrates in spent turmeric might prevent obesity development. In the first study, rats were administered 10% turmeric powder (TP) or spent turmeric powder (STP) in a high-fat (HF) diet for 28 d. In the second study, rats were fed 10% STP in a HF diet with or without antibiotics for 15 d. In the third study, rats were treated with a STP-containing suspension. In study 1, the TP and STP diet increased the caecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content compared to that of a control diet. The lower energy intake in the TP and STP group was strongly related to the decrease in visceral fat weight. In study 2, after caecal fermentation suppression with antibiotics, STP treatment decreased the visceral fat mass. In study 3, the plasma glucose levels and incremental area under the curve (AUC) after ingestion of a STP-containing suspension were lower than those after ingestion of suspension alone. These findings suggest the reduction of carbohydrate absorption during the gastrointestinal passage after TP and STP treatment. Our data indicate that the reduced obesity development in rats fed a HF diet may be attributed to the low metabolisable energy density of carbohydrates in the spent turmeric, independent of SCFA-mediated factors.

Amylomyces rouxii strain CBS 438.76 affects cholesterol metabolism in cholesterol-fed rats.

We examined the effects of Amylomyces rouxii, which is a mold found in some fermented foods in Indonesia, on serum cholesterol and hepatic LDL receptor mRNA in rats. Rats were fed a 0.5% cholesterol-enriched diet with (A. rouxii group) or without (control group) 30 g/kg A. rouxii for 4 wk. There were no significant differences in the body weight, food intake or liver weight among the groups. However, the weight of the cecum in the A. rouxii-fed group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The cecal pH in the A. rouxii-fed group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Cecal acetic acid, propionic acid and total SCFA concentrations in the A. rouxii-fed group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The serum total cholesterol and VLDL+intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL)+LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the control group were significantly higher than those in the A. rouxii-fed group at the end of the 4-wk feeding period. There were no significant differences in the HDL-cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations between the groups. The hepatic LDL receptor and cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels in the A. rouxii-fed group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The results of this study demonstrate that feeding of A. rouxii lowers the serum total cholesterol level by enhancement of the cecal SCFA concentration and the hepatic LDL receptor mRNA.

Resistant starch fraction prepared from kintoki bean affects gene expression of genes associated with cholesterol metabolism in rats.

Feeding rats beans with resistant starch reduces the serum cholesterol concentration; however, the mechanism is not fully understood. We examined the effects of resistant starch of kintoki (Phaseolus vulgaris, variety) bean on serum cholesterol and hepatic mRNAs in rats. Male F344/Du Crj rats were fed a cholesterol-free diet either with 5 g of cellulose powder (control)/100 g or 5 g of pancreatin-resistant fraction prepared from kintoki bean (kintoki)/100 g diet for 4 weeks. There were no differences in the body weight gain, food intake, liver weight, and mass of cecum contents between the groups. Serum total cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) + intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) + low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels in the kintoki group were significantly (at least P < 0.05) lower than in the control group throughout the feeding period. There was no difference in the serum triglyceride concentration between two groups throughout the feeding period. Total hepatic cholesterol in the control group was significantly (P < 0.01) lower than in the kintoki groups. Fecal bile acid, cecal acetate, propionate and n-butyrate concentrations in the kintoki group all were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the control group. Likewise, hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase, LDL receptor, and SR-B1 mRNA levels in the kintoki group were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the control group. The results suggest that resistant starch of kintoki bean reduces serum cholesterol level by increasing hepatic LDL receptor, SR-B1, and cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNAs.

Enzyme-resistant fractions of beans lowered serum cholesterol and increased sterol excretions and hepatic mRNA levels in rats.

Feeding rats beans with resistant starch reduces their serum cholesterol concentration; however, the mechanism by which this occurs is not fully understood. We examined the effects of enzyme-resistant fractions of adzuki (Vigna angularis) and tebou (Phaseolus vulgaris, var.) beans on serum cholesterol and hepatic mRNA in rats. Rats were fed a cholesterol-free diet with 50 g of cellulose powder (CP)/kg, 50 g of an enzyme-resistant fraction of adzuki starch (AS)/kg, or 50 g of an enzyme-resistant fraction of tebou starch (TS)/kg diet for 4 wk. There were no significant differences in body weight, liver weight, and cecum contents among the groups, nor was there a significant difference in food intake among the groups. The levels of serum total cholesterol, VLDL + intermediate density lipoprotein + LDL-cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol in the AS and TS groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in the CP group throughout the feeding period. Total hepatic cholesterol in the CP group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in the AS and TS groups, fecal cholesterol excretion in the TS group was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than in the CP and AS groups, and the fecal total bile acid concentrations in the AS and TS groups were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the CP group. Cecal acetate, propionate, and n-butyrate concentrations in the AS and TS groups were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the CP group. The level of hepatic scavenger receptor class B1 (SR-B1) mRNA in the TS group was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the CP group, and the levels of hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA in the AS and TS groups were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the CP group. These results suggest that AS and TS have a serum cholesterol-lowering function due to the enhanced levels of hepatic SR-B1 and cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA.

Resistant starches of beans reduce the serum cholesterol concentration in rats.

We examined the effects of the resistant starches of adzuki (Vigna angularis), kintoki (Phaseolus vulgaris, variety), and tebou (P. vulgaris, variety) beans on the lipid metabolism in rats. Rats were fed a cholesterol-free diet with 25 g of cornstarch (CS)/100 g diet, 25 g of adzuki starch (AS)/100 g diet, 25 g of kintoki starch (KS)/100 g diet, or 25 g of tebou starch (TS)/100 g diet for 4 wk. The cecal contents in the TS group were significantly higher than those in the CS and KS groups. There were no significant differences in body weight or food intake among the groups. The relative liver weight in the CS group was significantly greater than that of the AS, KS, and TS groups. The serum total cholesterol, VLDL+IDL+LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations in the AS, KS, and TS groups were significantly lower than those in the CS group throughout the feeding period. Though the total hepatic cholesterol concentration in the TS group was significantly higher than that in the KS group, there were no significant differences between the CS and other starch groups. The cecal pH value in the CS group was significantly higher than that of the bean starch groups. The cecal butyric acid concentrations in the AS, KS, and TS groups were significantly higher than that in the CS group, and the cecal total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in the AS and TS groups were significantly higher than those of the CS group. The fecal cholesterol excretion of the AS, KS, and TS groups were significantly higher than that in the CS group. The fecal coprostanol excretion in the AS group was significantly higher than that in the CS group. There was a negative correlation between the serum VLDL+IDL+LDL-cholesterol concentration and fecal neutral steroid excretion (r = -0.664, p < 0.001) in the present experiment. Furthermore, the cecal total SCFA concentration was negatively correlated with the serum VLDL+IDL+LDL-cholesterol concentration (r = -0.665, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with fecal neutral steroid excretion (r = 0.481, p < 0.05). The cecal butyric acid level was also negatively correlated with the serum VLDL+IDL+LDL-cholesterol concentration (r = -0.609, p < 0.01) and positively correlated with fecal neutral steroid excretion (r = 0.658, p < 0.001). The results suggest that AS, KS, and TS elevate cecal SCFA concentration, in particular butyric acid concentration, and fecal neutral sterol excretion, and lower the serum total cholesterol level.