降胆固醇功能性食品的研究进展

心血管疾病是世界范围内威胁人类健康的主要疾病之一,并已成为造成我国成人死亡的首要原因。导致心血管疾病的重要危险因素之一是高胆固醇血症。治疗高胆固醇血症的药物主要有他汀类、消胆胺和依泽替米贝,但长期服用会导致严重的副作用。降胆固醇功能性食品因能够发挥与药物类似的功效,且没有任何副作用的特点,开始逐渐被当作药物的替代品。本文将从胆固醇的代谢入手,探讨胆固醇在机体内的合成、代谢、排泄过程,以及机体自身对胆固醇平衡的调节机制。同时,概括总结具有降胆固醇效果的功能性食品及有效成分,并归纳其降胆固醇机制。

Advances in Research on Cholesterol-Lowering Functional Foods

One of the major diseases that threatens human health all over the world is cardiovascular disease, which has become the leading cause of death in adults in China. Hypercholesterolemia is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Statins, cholestyramine and eztimibe are currently used clinically to treat hypercholesterolemia. However, long-term administration of these drugs may cause various side effects. Cholesterol-lowering functional foods have begun to be used as an alternative to drugs since they exert an efficacy similar to that described for drugs without any side effects. The present review discusses the synthesis, metabolism and excretion of cholesterol and how the body modulates plasma cholesterol balance. Additionally, this review summarizes recent studies on cholesterol metabolism and cholesterol-lowering functional foods as well as their active components and action mechanisms.