Abstract: The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of phytosterol (PS), phytosterol ester (PSE) and dairy products supplemented with PS and/or PSE in reducing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases for the purpose of providing a scientific basis for guiding the practical use of plant-derived phytochemicals and Yangxin dairy (YXD), a commercial dairy product supplemented with both PS and PSE. SD rats were randomly divided into 9 groups with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the normal control and model groups were fed a normal diet and a high fat diet, respectively and then administrated by gavage with 0.9% normal saline, while those in the PS, PSE, YXD and placebo groups were given a high fat diet and gavaged with PS at 23.6 and 47.2 mg/mL, PSE at 23.6 and 47.2 mg/mL, YXD at 30 and 60 g/250 mL and peanut oil, respectively. After 4 consecutive weeks of administration, all the rats were sacrificed for the collection of blood and visceral tissue samples. The results showed that total serum cholesterol levels in the rats in the PS, PSE and YXD groups significantly decreased and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased in a dose-dependent manner compared with the model group. These treatments also caused a reduction of triglyceride, total antioxidant capacity and malonaldehyde levels, although the effect was unstable. The same trends were also seen for the corresponding indicators in liver and pathological sections. PSE and YXD had better efficacy in reducing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Furthermore, YXD had higher potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and protect the liver and blood vessels.

Key words: phytosterols, phytosterol ester, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cholesterol-reducing