Effect of Different Vegetable Oils (Red Palm Olein, Palm Olein, Corn Oil and Coconut Oil) on Lipid Profile in Rat

Eqbal Dauqan,Zalifah Mohd Kasim,Halimah Abdullah Sani,Aminah Abdullah

doi:10.4236/fns.2011.24036

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of different vegetable oils [red palm olein (RPO), palm olein (PO), corn oil (CO) and coconut oil (COC)] on lipid profile in rat. Sixty six Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into eleven groups of 6 rats per group and were treated with 15% concentrations of RPO, PO, CO and COC for 4 and 8 weeks. Rats in control group were given normal rat pellet only while in treated groups 15% of additional vegetable oils were given. The results at 4 weeks showed a decline in Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) values at RPO and PO groups whereas in CO and COC groups the LDL-C were increased compared to the control group. The High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) values increased in RPO and PO groups whereas it was declined in CO and COC groups compared to the control group. At 8 weeks, there was no significant difference (P ≥ 0.05) in HDL-C of rats treated with vegetable oils compared to the control group. However, the LDL-C in RPO and PO was significantly decreased (P ≤ 0.05) in the LDL-C and there was no significant difference (P≥0.05) for CO and COC groups compared to the control groups. The mean value of the LDL-C after 8 weeks in the control group, RPO, PO, CO, and COC groups were 66.1 mg/dl, 31.9 mg/dl, 41.1 mg/dl, 50.41 mg/dl and 54.31 mg/dl respectively. There was significant decreased (P ≤ 0.05) in the total cholesterol (TC) in RPO group for 4 weeks compared to the control group while the TC in PO, CO and COC were within the normal range. The results of TC in all treated rats for 8 weeks were within the normal range. There was no significant difference in TC of rats treated with vegetable oils compared to the control group. Triglycerides (TG) in all treated rats for 4 weeks were within the normal range whereas the TG in RPO, PO and CO groups for 8 weeks were significant increase (P ≤ 0.05) compared to the control group but there was no significant difference between the control group and COC group.

Highlights

Vegetable oil is very common, affordable and used by majority of people across the globe especially in the tropics
The High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) values increased in Red Palm Oil (RPO) and palm olein (PO) groups whereas it was declined in corn oil (CO) and coconut oil (COC) groups compared to the control group
After 4 weeks of treatment, there was significant decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in the total cholesterol (TC) level in RPO group compared to control group while the TC in PO, CO and COC groups were within the normal range

Summary

Introduction

Vegetable oil is very common, affordable and used by majority of people across the globe especially in the tropics. Vegetable oils in particular are natural products of plant origin consisting of ester mixtures derived from glycerol with chains of fatty acid contain about 14 to 20 carbon atoms with different degrees of unsaturation [2]. Palm oil contains approximately an equal amount of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Amongst the former, palmitic and stearic acid account for 45% and 5% of the total fatty acids, respectively. The different properties of palm oil and it’s fractions allow the products to be used for different purposes [4]. A liquid fraction obtained from the refining of palm oil, is rich in oleic acid (42.7% - 43.9%), β-carotene and vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) [5].

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