[[alternative]]Effects of sesame lignans on estrous cycles, blood lipids, liver lipids, urinary prostaglandins and antioxidative activities in female rats.

[[abstract]]OBJECT: Roasted sesame oil has been widely consumed in Taiwan. The lignans contained in sesame are unique and found to have special physiological functions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of sesame oils with various levels and kinds of lignans on estrous cycles, blood lipids, liver lipids, urinary prostaglandins and antioxidative activities in female rats. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Six weeks old female Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were divided into 5 groups, ten rats per groups, and fed diets containing 15% oil with different quantity and component of sesame lignans and 0.5% cholesterol for 8 weeks. High lignans diet (HL) contained 0.32% lignans and 0.002% sesamol. Medium lignans diet (ML) contained 0.22% lignans and 0.001% sesamol. Low lignans diet (LL) contained 0.1% lignans. Heated sesame oil diet (HS) contained 0.18% lignans and 0.008% sesamol. Non-lignans diet (NL) had similar fatty acid composition as other sesame oil diet but not contain lignans. RESULT: (1) Estrous cycles of rats were not extended by sesame lignans. (2) Serum total cholesterol (TC) and HDL-C concentrations were higher in HL and ML than NL, and they were positively correlated with lignans intakes. Liver cholesterol and liver triglyceride (TG) were lower in HL and HS than NL, and they were negatively correlated with lignans intakes. (3) Levels of hepatic arachidonic acid(C20:4) and dihomo-g-linolenic acid (C20:3) were not significantly different among 5 groups. Urinary PGE1 excretion was higher in HL than LL and NL, and it was positively correlated with lignans intakes. Urinary Bicyclo PGE2 was lower in HL and ML than LL, and it was negatively correlated with lignans intakes. (4)The ranks of serum γ-tocopherol(TOH) concentration among groups were HL>ML>LL and HS>NL, and it was highly positively correlated (r=0.901, p