Abstract:

Objective: To investigate the effect of pectin from Ficus pumila L. seeds on lipid metabolism and cecum
environment in castrated rats fed high-fat diet. Methods: Forty healthy female SD rats were divided into 5 groups. The
control group consisted of sham-ovariectomized rats, and the rats from four other groups were double ovariectomized (OVX).
One week later, the OVX rats were assigned into model control group and pectin groups receiving low (5%), medium (10%)
and high doses (15%), respectively. All rats were dissected after 4 weeks of feeding to analyze serum lipids, hepatic lipids,
hepatic histology, and the content of water and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the cecum contents. Results: Compared
to the sham control group, the levels of serum lipid, liver lipid, hepatic cholesterol and hepatic triglyceride in the model
group significantly increased (P < 0.05). Pectin from Ficus pumila L. seeds had no significant effect on the concentrations
of serum lipids in OVX rats, but resulted in a higher but not significantly different liver weight and simultaneously a
significant increase in the wet weight and surface area of cecum wall, the wet weight of cecum tissue and the wet weight of
cecum contents compared with the model group (P < 0.05). Feeding pectin could increase the concentrations of SCFAs and
total SCFA in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Ficus pumila L. seed pectin could not decrease high fat-diet induced
hyperlipidaemia in ovariectomized rats, but could increase liver lipids and improve the cecum environment.

Key words: Ficus pumila L. seed pectin, high-fat diet, serum lipids, hepatic lipids, cecum environment