EFFECT OF DIETARY FISH-OIL ON PLASMA-LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL IN RATS FED A DIET ENRICHED IN CHOLESTEROL AND SUCROSE

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of dietary fish oil on plasma lipoprotein cholesterol levels in rats fed different carbohydr ate sources. Male Wistar rats fed a soy bean oil diet or a fish oil di et containing 0.5% cholesterol were studied for 7 weeks. Corn starch o r sucrose were used as carbohydrate sources in the experimental diet. Fish oil supplementation significantly (p < 0.05) decreased plasma VLD L (very low density lipoprotein) cholesterol in rats fed a diet contai ning corn starch. However there was no significant difference in plasm a total cholesterol and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol in r ats fed a corn starch diet with fish oil treatment. In the experiment with sucrose, significantly (p < 0.05) decreased plasma total choleste rol, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol were observed in rats fed a fish oil diet. Although higher plasma total and VLDL cholesterol level s were found in rats fed the sucrose diet when compared with those fed the corn starch diet, no significant difference between the corn star ch group and the sucrose group was observed in rats after fish oil tre atment. Results from the present study suggest that the carbohydrate s ource might play an important role in the regulation of plasma lipopro tein metabolism in rats fed fish oil.