隨著台灣經濟之富裕繁榮與飲食習俗之改變，國人普遍攝取過量之油脂，加上台灣已邁入高齡化社會，心腦血管疾病的罹患率大為增加。根據行政院衛生署統計資料顯示，心腦血管疾病是國人十大死因之，且有逐年升高的趨勢。益生菌為應用至人類或其他動物，藉由改善腸內微生物相平衡、益於宿主的活菌，目前已被廣泛應用做為保健食品。本試驗以倉鼠為試驗動物，餵飼高膽固醇飲食誘導高膽固醇模式鼠後，再以Lactobacillus paracasei subsp.paracasei NTU 101菌株發酵之發酵乳樣品（以下簡稱NTU 101發酵乳）進行試驗，試驗動物經由連續餵飼NTU 101發酵乳樣品四週與八週後進行調節血脂之評估。結果顯示，NTU 101發酵乳樣品具有降低高膽固醇血症倉鼠血清總膽固醇的效果，連續餵食四週降低之百分比自15.69%至28.77%不等，連續餵食八週則降低之百分比為10.04%至14.18%；此外亦可顯著降低高膽固醇血症倉鼠之肝臟總膽固醇濃度。測定高密度脂蛋白膽固醇（high density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL-C）與低密度脂蛋白膽固醇（low density lipoprotein cholesterol. LDL-C），連續餵食四週之所有試驗組及連續餵食八週之一倍劑量組皆可降低LDL-C/HDL-C之比值。餵食NTU 101發酵乳樣品則無顯著改善高膽固醇血症倉鼠血清與肝臟中之三酸甘油脂濃度。綜合以上結果得知可NTU 101發酵乳樣品具有調節高血膽固醇之保健功效。

While economy is developed and the diet habits is changing, the total lipid intake of people in Taiwan is generally increased. In addition, Taiwan has stepped into aging society, and cardiovascular diseases have become one of the most important health problems. According to the statistics of Department of Health, the cardiovascular and brain diseases is the second and third of the top ten leading causes of death in Taiwan and the mortality caused by these diseases increases year by year. Probiotics are live microorganisms thought to be beneficial to the host organism and beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance. In this study, the inhibitory effect of milk fermented with Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei NTU 101 on the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) in the sera and livers of the hypercholesterolemic hamsters after 4 or 8-week treatment was investigated. As the results, the TC levels of the groups that were fed with fermented milk decreased significantly by 15.69 to 28.77% after 4 weeks and 10.04 to 14.18% after 8 weeks. Furthermore, total liver cholesterol also decreased after feeding with fermented milk for 4 and 8 weeks. Moreover, the present study indicated that a high-cholesterol diet with fermented milk led to a significant decrease in the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C compared with the high cholesterol group (p<0.05) after 4 weeks and 8 weeks of feeding. Regarding serum and liver TG levels, all experimental groups fed with the high-cholesterol diet and fermented milk showed no significant difference with the high cholesterol group. In summary, the milk fermented with L. paracasei subsp. paracasei NTU 101 improves the hypercholesterolemia in hamster.