Study the Effect of Different Levels of Zucchini (<i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L.) on the Biological Indicators for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Rats Fed High-Fat Diets

Abstract

The effects of fresh zucchini on nutritional status, and biological indicators for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in rats fed high-fat diets investigated in this study. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two main groups the first, negative control group Co (-) (n = 6), fed basal diet, The second group (n = 24) fed high-fat diet (containing basal diet + 5% tallow + 1% cholesterol + 0.02% bile salt). This group was divided into four subgroups each group 6 rats: group positive control co (+) fed high-fat diet only, group 1 (G (1)) fed high-fat diet plus 10% zucchini, group 2 (G (2) fed high-fat diet plus 15% zucchini and group 3 (G (3)) fed high-fat diet plus 20% zucchini. The levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured after eight wk. of experimental treatment. The pathologic changes of the heart, spleen and kidney were evaluated. SPSS, one way ANOVA was used to analyze the results. The results indicated that the mean values of body weight gain (BWG) and feed efficiency ratio (FIR) in G (2) and G (3) showed significant decrease compared to co (-), co (+) and G 1. The results showed that in groups (G1, G2 and G3) the relative weight of heart had significant increase when compared with control negative group. But liver and spleen weight had no significant difference when compared with control negative and positive group, the levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were significantly increased in co (+) (P %, 15% and 20%) had significant decrease in TC and LDL-C compared with co (+), also G2 and G3 had improve significant in HDL-C when compared with co. (+). The groups fed on zucchini give results similar to group co. (-). The best treatment was zucchini (15% and 20%) which had lowest values of total lipid cholesterol and LDL-C, and the best values of HDL-C, HDL-C/TC % for all groups fed on high fat diet and zucchini increased non significantly (p ≤ 0.05) the HDL-C/TC % index compared to group co. (+). while, G2 and G3 gave significant decrease in LDL-C/HDL-C ratio compared to group co. (+). Morphologic changes of heart, spleen and kidney revealed that groups G2 and G3 had a similar preventive effect against CHD in this experimental model. In conclusion, results showed that zucchini had similar potential to attenuate CHD-related parameters in a mild oxidative stress induced by high-fat diet in rats.