EFFECT OF FEEDING QUANDONG (SANTALUM-ACUMINATUM) OIL TO RATS ON TISSUE-LIPIDS, HEPATIC CYTOCHROME-P-450 AND TISSUE HISTOLOGY

Quandong kernels are a traditional Aboriginal food item; they are rich in oil and contain large amounts of an unusual fatty acid, trans-11-o ctadecen-9-ynoic acid (santalbic acid), but it is not known whether th is acid is absorbed and/or metabolized. The oil was fed at 12.6% of to tal energy content in semi-synthetic diets to groups of male Sprague-D awley rats for 10 and 20 days. Santalbic acid was found in the lipids of plasma, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, kidney, heart and liver bu t not in brain. Hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 activity in animal s fed for 20 days was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in controls . Histopathological examination did not reveal any lesions in the tiss ues of any animal fed quandong oil. The fact that santalbic acid was r eadily absorbed, widely distributed in tissues and was associated with an elevated level of hepatic cytochrome P-450 indicates that further studies are required to investigate whether or not there is a hazard a ssociated with the human practice of consuming quandong kernels.