Effects of Chitooligosaccharides on Liver Function in the Mouse

Abstract

Chitosan is the deacetylated product of chitin. Chitosan and its derivatives have many properties that make them attractive for a wide variety of health applications. This study was performed to investigate some effects of water soluble chitooligosaccharides on liver function in the mouse. The animals given the sterol diet containing 3% cholesterol for 6 weeks showed increase in plasma cholesterol level, which were lowered by 23% when they were fed on 1% chitooligosaccharide. While there was no significant change in liver cholesterol and plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. Continuous administration of 15% ethanol via drinking water to mice for 8 weeks elicited pathological alterations such as inflammation, necrosis, accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver and increase in GPT activity, while simultaneous administration of ethanol and chitooligosaccharide prevented remarkedly ethanol-induced liver injury; there was no observable lipid droplet and GPT activity was decreased by 25% in the liver. These results suggest that chitooligosaccharide play some roles in liver function, such as reducing the plasma cholesterol level and preventing alcoholic liver disease.