PRODUCTION OF A RAPID HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA IN YOUNG CHICK BY FEEDING COCONUT OIL FROM 2 DIFFERENT SOURCES AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION

In this work, we have studied comparatively the effects of supplementa tion to a standard diet with the same proportion (20%) of saturated fa t (coconut oil) from two different commercial sources and with clear d ifferences in their fatty acid composition. Both experimental diets pr oduced a rapid (24 h) and significant hypercholesterolemia in 14-day-o ld chicks. However, plasma cholesterol levels were higher in animals f ed a diet supplemented with coconut oil for commercial cooking use ('' Pastry'') than in those fed a diet with coconut oil for pharmaceutical use (''Pharmacy''). Both dietary manipulations rapidly (24 h) increas ed the percentages of the more hypercholesterolemic fatty acids (12:0 and 14:0) in plasma. This increase was higher after ''Pastry'' than af ter ''Pharmacy'' diet feeding. Likewise, the percentages of the hypoch olesterolemic fatty acids (18:1 n-9 and 18:2 n-6) were lower in plasma from treated animals than in control, especially after feeding the '' Pastry'' diet. All these differences may be implied in the high hyperc holesterolemic effects showed by ''Pastry'' diet. The hyper-cholestero lemia was not accompanied by changes in the levels of liver cholestero l.