Serum and liver lipids of rats fed rubber seed oil

• Published in: Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 1988-01, Vol.38 (2), p.145-153
• Main Authors: NWOKOLO, E, KITTS, D. D, KANHAI, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol - metabolism; Dietary Fats, Unsaturated - pharmacology; Fat industries; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lipid Metabolism; Liver - metabolism; Male; Nutritive Value; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Rubber; Seeds; Trees; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0377-3205; 0921-9668; 1573-9104
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01091719

Crude rubber seed oil (RSO) was incorporated at the 5% level in diets free of cholesterol or containing 1% cholesterol, respectively. These studies were initiated for the purpose of evaluating the palatability and potential toxicity of RSO. Corn oil was used as a control. A considerable amount of unsaponifiable matter was detected in RSO. In addition, RSO was found to possess a fatty acid profile which was fairly different from that of corn oil, primarily due to a much higher content of linolenic acid and a lower content of linoleic acid in RSO. No adverse effects on food intake and average daily gain were observed in rats fed RSO in both cholesterol-free and cholesterol diets. The presence of RSO in cholesterol-free diets results in lower (p less than 0.05) serum and liver total cholesterol levels than in control animals. A relative hypercholesterolemic effect compared to corn oil was observed however, when RSO was added to diets containing 1% cholesterol. In summary, the physicochemical properties of RSO as well as the presence of cholesterol in the diet are important factors in evaluating the cholesterolemic effect of RSO.