Effects of coconut oil on body weight and iiaemoriieoiogy in rabbits

The dietary effects of Cocos nucifera oil meal on the body weight and haemorheological properties of blood of rabbits were assessed using weight difference (WD), relative whole blood viscosity (RWBV) and relative plasma viscosity (RPV) indices. Fifteen out of twenty young and healthy white rabbits were fed with Cocos nucifera oil meal supplement together with normal animal feeds and water for eight weeks daily with a 0.5 ml/Kg body weight. Baseline blood samples were collected from the animals before feeding them with the coconut extract. Thereafter blood samples were collected from each of the animals in the 1", 4"" and 8"" weeks and analyzed for RWBV and RPV by Viscometer Method. The body weight was measured gravimetrically Results obtained showed a significant weight loss as well as reduced RWBV and RPV compared with the baseline data. The observed results indicated that obesity/related cardiovascular diseases can be controlled and microcirculatory blood flow properties in Rabbits improved using coconut oil meal as food supplement