Cholesterol and fat lowering with hydrophobic polysaccharide derivatives

•Alkyl/acyl substituted polysaccharides were prepared.•Analyses confirmed high substitution degree for all the derivatives.•Modified polysaccharides were tested as lipid sorbents.•Cholestyramine absorbs cholate more effectively than polysaccharides.•Modified polysaccharides demonstrated high affinity to cholesterol. Hydrophobic derivatives of highly methylated citrus pectin, chitosan and cellulose were prepared and tested as potential cholesterol lowering agents. Elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods confirmed high substitution degree for all of them. Substitution with long alkyl/acyl groups led to significant changes in physical and thermal properties of modified polysaccharides. Sorption of cholate and cholesterol by these polysaccharide-based sorbents was estimated in comparison with the synthetic drug cholestyramine. It was found that modified polysaccharides have high affinity to cholesterol. By contrast, cholestyramine was effective only in cholate sorption.