Effect of fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids on bone minerals, blood constiuents and histopathological changes in hypercholesterolemic and diabetic rats

Abstract EN

Effects of fish oil, corn oil, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and cod liver oil were investigated in hypercholesterolemic rats.

Also, the effect offish oil and corn oil were studied in diabetic rats.

Sixty five male rats weighing 130±10g were divided into two major groups.

The first group was hypercholesterolemic rats (50 rats) and divided, into 10 sub groups, each group was 5 rats.

The second group was diabetic rats (10 rats) and divided into two sub groups, each group is formed of 5 rats.

The first group (contains 10 sub groups) was fed on different concentrations of fish oil or corn oil, mixed with different concentration of animal fat, cholesterol and bile salt.

The last three groups were fed on corn oil supplemented with low dose of (DHA) or EPA or cod liver oil.

The biochemical parameters (serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol) were performed at the initial times, after 30 days and after 60 days.

The second group (contains 2 sub groups) was fed on 10% fish oil and 10% corn oil and the biochemical parameters (serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and blood glucose) were determined at the initial time and after 30 days.

At the end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed and the rat livers were removed for histopathological examination.

Also femur bone was isolated for determining its content of calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P) and magnesium (Mg) in hypercholesterolaemic groups.

The obtained results showed that, in hypercholesterolaemic groups, the reduction in serum lipid (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol) was associated with increase the fish oil especially in group fed on 7.5% and 10% followed by group fed on corn oil supplemented with DHA, EPA and cod liver oil, while HDL-cholesterol was increased in the same groups.

Moreover, the histopathological finding showed the improvement in rat liver in the same groups'as compared with normal control and other groups.

Also Ca, P and Mg were increased especially in groups that received 7.5 and 10% fish oil.

In diabetic groups, reduction in blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol was seen in group fed on 10% fish oil as compared with group fed on corn oil while HDL-cholesterol was increased in the fish oil group.

Moreover, histopathological examination of the liver showed improvement of liver tissues in group fed 10% fish oil.

As a conclusion, fish oil could be successfully used as hypolipidaemic agent whether alone or in combination with low percentage of hypolipidaemic factors and enhancement of bone minerals (Ca, P and Mg).

Also fish oil has a beneficial effect on hyperglycaemia and can be used in combination with oral antidiabetic drugs in treatment of diabetic patients.

Key words: Fish oil, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, cod liver oil, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycaemia, diabetes.