BIOCHEMICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PALM, MUSTARD AND SOYBEAN OILS IN RATS

Abstract

The investigation was conducted to determine the effects of different edible oils in experimental animals. A total of 36 male Long Evans rats of one month age were randomly divided into four equal groups. Rats of Group A were kept as control by feeding rat pellet. Rats of Group B, C and D were fed rat pellet by mixing of palm, mustard and soybean oils respectively, at the dose of 15 % in feed for 6 months. The methods included determination of weight gains, lipid profiles and histopathological lesions in different organs: aorta, liver, heart and kidneys at 0 day, 3 months and 6 months interval. All experimental rats exhibited progressive weight gain during the research period and soybean oil treated group showed the highest significant (P<0.01) body weight gain (153 %) but mustard oil resulted significant (P<0.05) increased liver weight (4.557g) after 6 months. Soybean oil showed significant (P<0.01) increased total cholesterol (204.25 mg/dl), HDL (53.15 mg/dl) and LDL (113.06 mg/dl) than other groups. Triglyceride levels of all oil treated groups were significantly (P<0.05) lower than control group. Histopathology revealed that palm oil fed group had fatty liver, narrowed blood vessel and thickened aorta of heart. Soybean oil fed group also showed narrowed blood vessels but mustard oil fed group showed no noticeable change in the mentioned vital organs. After the investigation, mustard oil proved comparatively better than palm and soybean oil.