RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish whether the long-term consumption of reused canola oil contributes to the development of dyslipidemia, obesity, and endothelial function. METHODS: Canola oil was used for one frying cycle (1 FC) of corn flour dough or reused 10 times (10 FC). Rats received chow diet (control) or supplemented with 7% raw oil (RO), 1 FC or 10 FC oil (n = 10 per group). Food consumption, blood pressure (BP), and body weight plasma glucose, plasma lipids were monitored. Vascular reactivity was analyzed using aorta rings stimulated with phenylephrine and acetylcholine. Nitrotyrosine presence in aorta rings was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: After 10 wk of follow-up, visceral adipose tissue was significantly more abundant in 1 FC (7.4 ± 0.6 g) and 10 FC (8.8 ± 0.7 g) than the RO (5.0 ± 0.2 g; P = 0.05 versus 10 FC group) or control group (2.6 ± 0.3 g; P = 0.05 versus all groups). Despite similar plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and BP among groups, a significantly reduced acetylcholine-induced vascular relaxation was observed in the three groups receiving the oil-supplemented diet (47.2% ± 3.6%, 27.2% ± 7.7%, and 25.9% ± 7.6% of relaxation, for the RO, 1 FC, and 10 FC, respectively; P < 0.05 for all versus 62.4% ± 9.7% of the control group). Endothelial dysfunction was concomitant with the presence of nitrotyrosine residues at a higher extent in the groups that received heated oils compared with the RO group. CONCLUSION: High canola oil intake over 10 wk was associated with increased adipose tissue and early endothelial dysfunction probably induced by peroxinitrite formation. Such deleterious effects were significantly potentiated when the consumed oil had been used repeatedly for frying.