STUDIES ON RED PALM OIL - EFFECT OF PARTIAL SUPPLEMENTATION OF SATURATED FATS UPON LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS

The effect of partial supplementation of red palm oil (RPO) in saturat ed fats based on coconut oil (CNO) and hydrogenated fat (HF) was evalu ated in a 16-week long experiment in rats. Male rats (wistar strain) w ere divided into 6 groups and fed with diets based on RPO. Group I wit h 20% RPO Group II with 20% CNO, group III with 20 HF group IV with 10 % RPO and 10% CNO, group V with 10% RPO and 10% HF, and group VI 6.6% RPO and 6.6% CNO and 6.6% HF. The growth of the animals was proportion al to the intake of fat and diet. No significant increase was observed in plasma total cholesterol. LDL-C was higher in groups fed with CNO and HF and HDL-C was higher in the 20% RPO group. The 20% CNO groups h ad the lowest amount of liver cholesterol when compared to 20% RPO gro up while the blended oil groups had a higher liver cholesterol. Plasma triglycerides were high in the 20% RPO group whereas in the liver no significant difference observed. Analysis of plasma and liver fatty ac ids indicated the type of fat consumed as evidenced by the higher leve ls of palmitate (16:0), oleate (18:1) and linoleate (18:2 n6) in the R PO groups and higher levels of lauric (12:0) myristic (14:0) oleic (18 :1) and palmitic (16:0) in 20% CNO groups. The hydrogenated fat group (HF) had a higher levels of lauric (12:0) oleic (18:1) and linoleic ac ids. The saturated fatty acids (SAFA) supplemented groups in general s howed a mixed trend based on the fats. The saturated fatty acids (SAFA ) was highest in group II (20% CNO) and group VI(mixed group based on RPO) (CNO and HF) indicating the type of fatty acid intake. PUFA was l owest in CNO group followed by group IV based on RPO and CNO. The vari ous other ratios such as 18:1/18:2, palmitic oleic (16:0/18:1) and ara chidonic/linoleic (20:4/18:2) were all normal indicating the type of f at consumed. Thus our present study indicate that supplementation of p alm oil (RPO) with other saturated fats like coconut oil and hydrogena ted fat (I-IF) can have a protective effect due to the presence of lip id lowering factors.