EFFECT OF HIGH INGESTION OF DEHYDRATED PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA-PEPO L) ON THE CHOLESTEROL-METABOLISM AND ON THE HEPATIC HISTOLOGY IN MICE

The hypercholesterolemia is one of the most relevant risk factors in a therosclerosis, the latter being responsible for a high mortality in m ost Western countries. A high intake of foods from plant origin is one of the recommendations for the control of hypercholesterolemia, proba bly because of their fiber content. This study was designed to evaluat e the effects of the ingestion a pumpkin-based diet on cholesterol lev els. Fifty mice were divided in three groups: I, animals fed on normoc holesterolemic control diet; II, animals fed on a hypercholesterolemic diet; III, animals fed on a hypercholesterolemic diet containing dehy drated pumpkin during 8 weeks. The results showed that dehydrated pump kin, when administered in high concentration in the diet, reduced the levels of plasmatic and hepatic cholesterol but may cause relevant les ions in liver. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the right pro portion of pumpkin to reduce the cholesterolemia without undesirable e ffects. This study reinforces the need for the continuous support of a n experienced histopathologist to detect eventual damage that are not evident on macroscopic examination in all nutritional studies involvin g tests with diets.