PREVENTIVE EFFECT OF SPIRULINA-MAXIMA ON THE FATTY LIVER INDUCED BY AFRUCTOSE-RICH DIET IN THE RAT, A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Cyanobacteria Spirulina maxima from Texcoco Lake in Mexico was adminis tered as a 5 % component of a purified diet, to Wistar rats together w ith a high percentage of fructose (60 %) and its effect on several lip id fractions of plasma and liver was studied and compared to those of rats fed purified diets containing 60 % of glucose or 60 % of fructose . A preventive effect of Spirulina maxima on the fructose-induced incr ease of the liver triglycerides level was observed together with an el evation of the phospholipid concentration in this tissue. On the other hand Spirulina maxima produced a plasma cholesterol level even lower than that observed in the control group.