Effect of Cholestyramine on Cholesterol Metabolism in Young Adult Swine

Summary Nine-week-old swine were fed the bile acid sequestrant, cholestyramine, at 2% and 4% of the diet for successive 4-week periods. Cholestyramine increased bile acid excretion about 10-fold, but the rate of liver biosynthesis of cholesterol was 19 times higher in the cholestyramine fed pigs than in the control pigs. This marked increase in cholesterol synthesis was apparently sufficient to prevent a decrease in plasma cholesterol levels. Feeding 4% cholestyramine (approximately 70 g/day) had no effect on growth, food efficiency, organ weights, plasma lipids and aorta cholesterol. Liver cholesterol levels were decreased slightly, liver vitamin A stores were decreased about one-third, and excretion of fecal fat and cholesterol-like (Lieberman-Burchard reactive) materials were increased in the cholestyramine fed pigs.