Reliable Analytical Approach for the Quantification of the Cholesterol Adsorption Capacity of Artichoke Leaves

Reliable determination of cholesterol adsorption capacity (CAC) is essential for evaluating the hypocholesterolemic potential of dietary fibers; however, currently available analytical procedures lack methodological standardization and often rely on spectrophotometric assays susceptible to matrix interference. The present study aimed to develop and validate a simple and reliable procedure for the evaluation of CAC of fractionated artichoke leaves. In vitro assays were conducted under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, with residual cholesterol quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography and two different detection systems (UV-Vis spectrophotometric detector and light-scattering detector). The chromatographic method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, and accuracy, and its performance was compared with that of the conventional ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) spectrophotometric assay. Some pure commercial fibers were tested first; pectin and lignin showed the highest cholesterol adsorption capacity. Moreover, the results showed that all the investigated leaf fractions exhibited CAC, with the outer leaf fractions showing significantly higher values than the inner woody fractions. The proposed workflow provides a reliable and consistent analytical framework for CAC determination. Furthermore, the results provide new insights into the potential cholesterol-lowering properties of dietary fiber from artichoke leaves, supporting their further investigation as functional ingredients.