Comparison of the effects of fish oil and olive oil on serum lipids in experimental dyslipidemia

ABSTRACT

Polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA] are thought to lower the serum cholesterol level more effectively than monounsaturated fatty acids [MUFA]. In this strictly controlled dietary experiment in senile male albino rats, we studied the effects of consumption of oil rich in MUFA [olive oil] or in PUFA [fish oil] on unfavorable alteration in blood lipid profiles exhibited in experimental dyslipidemia. Animals were divided into four groups, normal control, dyslipidemic control, dyslipidemic experimental group treated with olive oil and dyslipidemic experimental group treated with fish oil. Experimental dyslipidemia was induced to rats by injection intraperitonealy with adrenaline for 21 days. The rats in the dyslipidemic experimental groups received daily 1.5 ml/kg body weight of fish oil or olive oil by oral administration for 30 days. Data analysis revealed that, compared with the normal control animals, the adrenaline-induced dyslipidemic rats showed a highly significant increase in serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations. On the other hand, HDL-cholesterol concentration was highly significantly decreased. Compared to dyslipidaemic control group, fish oil treatment exhibited a significant decreasing effect on total cholesterol concentration, while, olive oil showed highly significant lowering effect. Both fish oil and olive oil lowered LDL-cholesterol highly significantly. Consumption of olive oil resulted in a significant protective increasing action on HDL-cholesterol concentration, while, the increasing effect of fish oil was non-significant. Administration of fish oil exhibited non-significant lowering action on serum triglycerides level, while, a highly significant decreasing effect was determined after administration of olive oil. The current study illustrate that both olive oil and fish oil could be regarded as a possible anti-atherogenic and anti-dyslipidemic agents and that therapeutic action of olive oil on impaired serum lipids is more effective than fish oil