Abstract: The aim of this research was to investigate the repairing effects of different doses of resistant starch from purple speckled kidney beans on liver and intestinal barrier injury in hyperlipidemia rats. The rat model was established by feeding the animals a hyperlipidemic feed. After that, different doses of kidney bean resistant starch were administered to the rats by gavage for 6 weeks. During this period, body mass, abdominal fat mass, liver index, blood lipid content, liver function, and serum antioxidant indices, diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactic acid (D-LA) concentration were measured. The pathological sections of liver and small intestinal mucosa tissues were observed as well. The results showed that there were significant differences in all parameters between the model and the blank groups (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, body mass, liver index and abdominal fat mass of rats in the low-, middle- and high-dose resistant starch groups and the simvastatin group were significantly lower (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), blood lipid contents and liver antioxidant enzyme activities were also significantly reduced (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), the activities of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were increased, and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased to different extents. The levels of serum diamine oxidase and D-LA in all treatment groups were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). The results of hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining showed that the morphology of liver and small intestine cells of rats in the resistant starch groups were clear and intact, and the inflammatory infiltration was reduced. Conclusion: Resistant starch from purple speckled kidney beans could improve liver and intestinal barrier damage caused by hyperlipidemia to some extent.

Key words: resistant starch from purple speckled kidney beans; hyperlipidemic rats; liver injury; intestinal barrier; repairing