Effect of Phytic Acid Administration on the Zinc concentration, Uric Acid Biosynthesis, and Serum Lipid Components in Rats

Abstract

The effects of phytic acid on the absorption of several minerals including zinc, iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, manganese and molybdenum, the biosynthesis of uric acid, and the serum lipid components were examined. Weaning male Wistar rats were fed a basal AIN93G diet or the basal diet supplemented with 0.5% or 1.0% sodium phytate for 4 weeks. Phytic acid administration reduced the serum and femur zinc levels in a dose-dependent manner but did not affect the liver and kidney zinc levels. In addition, significant reductions with phytic acid administration were observed in the liver iron, serum and liver copper, liver and kidney calcium, kidney magnesium, and liver and kidney manganese concentrations. In phytic-acid-administered rats, the molybdenum concentration and xanthine oxidase activity in the liver and the serum uric acid decreased in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, phytic acid administration also reduced the serum lipid components including triacylglycerol and total cholesterol. Since phytic acid is hardly absorbed, these results indicate that phytic acid inhibits the absorption of several dietary components including minerals, and that the decrease in the serum uric acid concentration that occurs when phytic acid is ingested is due to the decrease in molybdenum absorption. When utilizing the functionality of phytic acid for health promotion, it is necessary to pay sufficient attention to the intake of minerals.

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