• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.508-515
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• 1998

An antihypercholesterolemic effect was observed by intraperitoneal injection of the seaweed Porphya yezoensis extract. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by intraperitoneal injection of Triton WR-1339 (600 $\mu$g/g-body weight) into a mouse. Maximum level of blood cholesterol was reached at 20 hours after Triton injection. By simultaneous injection of the p. yezoensis extract (30 $\mu$g/g-body weight) with the Triton into each right and left sides of the peritoneal cavity, levels of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein were decreased to $37\%$ and $24\%$ compared to Triton injection only. For histochemical changes, hepatic tissues obtained at 40 hours after injection of the Triton and the p. yezoensis extract were fixed in fromol-calcium solution. Numbers of lipid drops and cholesterol particles decreased in the portal space of the hepatic cytoplasm. This indicates that the accumulation of lipid, including cholesterol, caused by Triton was prevented by the antihypercholesterolemic effect of extract from the seaweed p. yezoensis.