Anti-Hypercholesterolemic Action of Scleroglucan and Pectin in Chickens.∗

Summary Pectin and the polysaccharide scleroglucan reduced dietary hypercholestero-lemia in chicks; this reduction was accompanied by an increased excretion of chloroform-methanol extractable lipid, including cholesterol. The chemical dissimilarity of pectin and scleroglucan suggests that the anti-hyper-cholesterolemic activity of the two materials may be due to their physical rather than to their chemical properties.