Effects of Palm Oil Diet on 4, 7, 10, 13,16-Docosapentaenoic Acid Content of Blood Plasma, Red Cells, and Liver and Muscle Lipids in Rats

Abstract

The effects of palm oil diets on tissue lipids of rats were studied. Four groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats (4wk old) were maintained on diets containing (10% by weight) physically refined palm oil (PRPO), chemically refined palm oil (CRPO), soybean oil (SO), or canola oil (CO) for two months. Both PRPO and CRPO diets resulted in the appearance of 4, 7, 10, 13,16-docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6) in blood plasma, red cells, and liver and muscle lipids, while SO and CO diets did not. This fatty acid was principally found in the phospholipid fraction, such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The increase of 22:5(n-6) compensated for the decrease of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3). The results suggest that diet containing only palm oil as a fat source has a high potential of causing α-linolenic acid deficiency in rats.