Comparison of the Effects of Three Persimmon Cultivars on Lipid and Glucose Metabolism in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice

We compared the effects of three persimmon cultivars, one nonastringent-type fruit (Fuyu) and two astringent-type fruits (Hiratanenashi and Hachiya), on the lipid and glucose metabolism of high-fat diet-fed mice. Persimmon samples prepared from young fruits of the three cultivars contained around 80% dietary fiber and differed in their bile acid-binding abilities and tannin contents. C57BL/6J mice were fed a modified AIN76 high-fat diet supplemented with 2% of each persimmon sample instead of cellulose for 10 wk. All cultivars significantly accelerated fecal bile acid secretion, depending on the bile acid-binding ability of the cultivars. Hiratanenashi and Hachiya, the cultivars with a strong bile acid-binding ability, prevented any increase in fasting blood glucose and plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels. Hachiya, the cultivar with the highest tannin content, also tended to prevent an increase in plasma non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. However, Fuyu, the cultivar with the lowest bile acid-binding ability and tannin content, had no effect on lipid or glucose metabolism. These effects linked to expression of the genes related to lipid and energy metabolism, including the cytochrome P450 7A1 gene in the liver and the uncoupling protein 3 gene in the brown adipose tissue. These results indicate that the beneficial effects of these cultivars on lipid and glucose metabolism are closely related to their bile acid-binding ability and tannin content.