Final Report Summary - CHOLESTENOT (Study of the molecular events induced by specific functional foods with a double targeting to effectively reduce cholesterol levels)
The aim of this project was to develop functional foods based on specific edible mushroom extracts able to effectively reduce cholesterol levels in serum by acting simultaneously at two different levels:
(I) reducing endogenous cholesterol synthesis by inhibiting the hydroxymethylglutaryl‐CoA reductase (HMGCR, the key enzyme in the cholesterol metabolism) and
(II) impairing exogenous cholesterol absorption during digestion by its displacement from the dietary mixed micelles, by scavenging of bile acids during the intestinal digestion to avoid their reabsorption stimulating the hepatic transformation of cholesterol bile acids and by inhibiting the pancreatic lipase (PL).
(I) reducing endogenous cholesterol synthesis by inhibiting the hydroxymethylglutaryl‐CoA reductase (HMGCR, the key enzyme in the cholesterol metabolism) and
(II) impairing exogenous cholesterol absorption during digestion by its displacement from the dietary mixed micelles, by scavenging of bile acids during the intestinal digestion to avoid their reabsorption stimulating the hepatic transformation of cholesterol bile acids and by inhibiting the pancreatic lipase (PL).
