Protective Effect of Linseed Oil on Hyperlipidemia in Experimental Animals

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Linseed oil (LO) rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA, C 18 : 3 n-3), on lipid profile and some growth parameters in rats fed high saturated fat diet (HSF). Thirty two rats were divided into 4 groups control, HSF, HSF + LO and LO. Methods: Measured parameters were nutritional (liver and body wt), biochemical in serum (T. chol, LDL-C, HDL-C, TAG, total lipids) and liver (total lipids, total and free cholesterol, TAG, phospholipids) and histolological sections of hepatic tissues. Result showed that LO supplementation significantly prevent the marked increase body and liver weight gain, hepatic lipids as well as it caused limitation of the negative effect on lipoprotein parameters caused by HSF supplementation. Histological examinations of rats’ livers revealed hepatic protection against fatty liver by LO ingestion. No adverse effect of LO on growth parameters and plasma lipids was noticed in rats fed with normal diet. These data suggest that LO participate in the normal regulation of plasma lipid and cholesterol levels in liver, demonstrating that LO may be developed as useful popular and commercial oil for protection against hyperlipidemia.