The effect of defatted cocoa powder on cholesterol-induced changes of serum lipidsin rats
Abstract Introduction: Cocoa has been known for many health benefits, but its lipid-lowering activity still remains unresolved. Objectives: To investigate effects of varying amounts of defatted cocoa on serum lipids in cholesterol-fed rats. Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into four cholesterol-free (control) and four cholesterol-supplemented (experimental) diets containing 0, 1, 2 or 3% defatted cocoa (DC) and given ad libitum to the rats for ten weeks. Serum total cholesterol (TC), low- and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and VLDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) were quantified, atherogenic index (AI) was calculated, and other biological parameters were assessed. Results: Food intake and body weight did not respond to DC. Compared to 0% DC, 3% DC had the most prominent effect on serum lipids inducing significant fall in LDL-C and TG, and rise in TC/TG in cholesterol-deprived rats, and increase in VLDL-C and AI, and decrease in HDL-C in cholesterol-fed rats. Compared to cholesterol-deprived rats, 3% DC caused significant rise in VLDL-C, AI and TC/TG, and fall in TG in cholesterol-fed rats. This lipid-modifying effect was markedly substantiated by corresponding linear trend responses to DC. Differences in lipid variables of rats fed on DC diets were less evident. Conclusions: Results suggest that, in contrast to cholesterol-free situations, defatted cocoa is seemingly incapable of counteracting the atherogenic effect of cholesterol in rats, perhaps in an interaction that is likely to have clinical implications in cardiometabolic conditions.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Grupo Arán
2017
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| Online Access: | http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0212-16112017000300680 |
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