Effects of Cholesterol Diet and Exercise on Plasma and Liver Lipids, Platelet Aggregation and Erythrocyte Na Efflux in Rats

Present study was conducted to investigate the effects of exercise and cholesterol diet on plasma and liver lipids, platelet aggregation, erythrocyte Na efflux and liver index such as GOT and GPT using Sprague Dawley rats. Forty rats were divided into four groups and fed control or 0.5% cholesterol diet with and without treadmill for six weeks. The final body weight of group fed cholesterol diet with exercise was somewhat decreased compared with group fed cholesterol diet without exercise. L.W/B.W ratio was significantly increased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01), but exercise tended to decrease this ratio. Plasma total cholesterol was significantly increased and HDL-cholesterol was decreased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01). Plasma triglyceride was significantly decreased in groups fed cholesterol diet compared with groups fed control diet (p < 0.01). Plasma triglyceride of groups with exercise was significantly decreased compared with their non exercising counterparts regardless diet (p < 0.05). Liver total cholesterol and triglyceride was significantly increased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01), but exercise did not affect on these levels. Na-K ATPase was somewhat decreased in groups fed cholesterol diet, and exercise tended to recover the reduced Na-K ATPase. Na passive transport was significantly decreased in group fed control diet without exercise and significantly increased in group fed cholesterol diet with exercise, there were significant differences between groups (p < 0.05). There were no differences in total Na efflux and intracellular Na among groups, and total Na efflux was not correlated with intracellular Na. Hematocrit was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in group fed cholesterol diet without exercise compared with other groups. Platelet aggregation in the initial slope and the maximum was increased in groups fed cholesterol diet, but not statistically significant. Exercise especially increased the initial slope of aggregation. Plasma GOT and GPT was significantly increased in groups fed cholesterol diet (p < 0.01), and exercise in group fed cholesterol diet significantly decreased both GOT and GPT compared with the non exercising counterpart (p < 0.01). This study showed that cholesterol diet increases plasma and liver lipids and GOT and GPT, and exercise improves plasma and liver lipid profile and liver index of GOT and GPT preventing fatty liver.

Effects of taurine on plasma and liver lipids, erythrocyte ouabain sensitive Na efflux and platelet aggregation in Sprague Dawley rats

The effects of taurine on plasma and liver cholesterol, erythrocyte ouabain sensitive Na efflux and platelet aggregation were examined in Sprague Dawley rats fed control or 0.5% cholesterol with 0.2% cholate diet. Plasma and liver levels of total cholesterol were increased significantly (p<0.05) in rats fed cholesterol diet compared to the control, and taurine significantly decreased the elevated plasma level of cholesterol in rats fed cholesterol diet (p<0.05). HDL-cholesterol was decreased in groups fed the cholesterol diet regardless of taurine supplementation and the difference between groups with and without cholesterol was significant (p<0.01). Plasma triglyceride was decreased and liver triglyceride was increased both significantly (p<0.05) in rats fed cholesterol compared to the control. Plasma and liver triglyceride in rats fed taurine was decreased significantly compared to the control (p<0.05). Intracellular Na tended to be lower in rats fed cholesterol or taurine and higher in rats fed cholesterol plus taurine compared to the control. Na efflux through Na-K ATPase and the passive leak of Na was somewhat reduced in rats fed cholesterol or taurine and was augmented in rats fed cholesterol plus taurine compared to the control, which showed a similar trend to the intracellular Na. Taurine supplementation caused a suppression of Na efflux in groups fed control diet and restored the suppressed Na efflux in groups fed cholesterol. Platelet aggregation was significantly decreased in the group fed taurine compared to the control (p<0.05) and the group fed cholesterol plus taurine was also a little lower in aggregation than the group fed cholesterol. Microscopic examination showed that taurine prevented fatty liver in rats fed cholesterol diet. Taurine known for stimulating Na-K ATPase in some cell types rather decreased erythrocyte ouabain sensitive Na-K ATPase in the present study. Taurine had hypolipidemic and hypocholesterolemic effects and inhibited platelet aggregation which may be favorable for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.