Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of <i>Clostridium butyricum</i> in Cholesterol-Fed Rats

We examined the effects of oral administration of Clostridium butyricum miyairi on the catabolism and excretion of cholesterol in normal rats by using 14C-labeled cholesterol, and on plasma cholesterol levels in the rats and mice fed a high cholesterol diet. This bacterial treatment (about 107 cells/day) accelerated the cleavage of cholesterol side chain in normal rats. Plasma cholesterol levels of rats fed the high cholesterol diet with the bacterium (about 109 cells/day) were significantly lower than those of the control rats, and the effect was confirmed by exchanging the diets of both groups. However, plasma cholesterol levels of mice were not affected by this bacterial treatment.