The Effects of Kolaviron on the Atherogenic Propensity of Nigeria Local Edible Oils in Male Wistar Rats

Background: Dyslipidemia is partly dependent on consumption of edible oils. We set out to determine the atherogenic effects of commonedible oils in Nigeria, in male Wistar rats and to find out if administration of oral kolaviron amelioratedthese effects.

Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups of two replicates. One replicate was fed test diet while second replicate was administered 100 mg/ml of kolaviron four times weekly in addition to the test diet. Group one served as control and was fed on normal chow (NC) diet. The remaining five groups were fed different diets added to the NC as follows: non heated soya oil, heated soya oil, palm olein, palm stearin, heated palm oil respectively for a period of 12 weeks. Plasma lipids were determined at the end of the experimental period and their aortas were examined histopathologically.

Results: Compared with controls, experimental groups had higher values of Total Cholesterol (TC). There was a significant increase in TC in five times heated palm oil and five times heated soya oil groups compared with non heated soya oil, palm olein and palm stearin groups (P < 0.05). Palm olein group with no oral kolaviron had the highest percentage proportion of Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, while the lowest was found in the palm stearin group with oral kolaviron. From our study, palm olein was the most atherogenic oil thanfive times heated palm oil, palm stearin, five times heated soya oil and non-heated soyaoil respectively. An early stage of atherosclerosis was found in the group fed on five times heated palm oil with no kolaviron.

Conclusion: Consumption of edible oils commonly used locally, especially when repeatedly heated during frying, could lead to high levels of atherogenic lipids in the plasma while 100mg/kg of kolaviron could be beneficial.