OCTACOSANOL AFFECTS LIPID-METABOLISM IN RATS FED ON A HIGH-FAT DIET

The effect of dietary octacosanol, a long-chain alcohol, on lipid meta bolism was investigated in rats fed on a high-fat diet for 20 d. The a ddition of octacosanol (10 g/kg diet) to the high-fat diet led to a si gnificant reduction (P < 0.05) in the perirenal adipose tissue weight without decrease of the cell number, suggesting that octacosanol may s uppress lipid accumulation in this tissue, whereas no effect was seen in the epididymal adipose tissue weight and in the lipid content in li ver. Octacosanol supplementation decreased the serum triacylglycerol c oncentration, and enhanced the concentration of serum fatty acids, pro bably through inhibition of hepatic phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.4). Though the activity of hormone-sensitive lipase (EC 3.1.1.3 ) was not influenced by octacosanol, higher activities of lipoprotein lipase (EC 3.1.1.34) in the perirenal adipose tissue and the total oxi dation rate of fatty acid in muscle were observed. Lipid absorption wa s not affected by the inclusion of octacosanol. Thus, the present resu lts suggest that the dietary incorporation of octacosanol into a high- fat diet affects some aspects of lipid metabolism.