Objective: To study the effects of four kinds of experimental diet, including high fat/cholesterol diet, Chinese wild rice diet, white rice-flour diet and basal diet on the lipotoxicity and disordered lipid metabolism in rats.
Methods: 44 male SD rats were divided into four groups, the basal group, high fat/cholesterol diet group, white rice-flour group and Chinese wild rice group. All rats of four groups were given different diets. Body weights were measured every week, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), free fatty acids (FFA) and leptin concentrations were measured, and liver pathology were observed.
Results: When compared with the basal diet group, the hyperlipidemic rat model was successfully made in high fat/cholesterol diet group. When compared with the high fat/cholesterol diet group and white rice-flour diet group, the serum TG and TC contents were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and HDL-C concentration significantly increased (P < 0.05) in Chinese wild rice group. Moreover, Chinese wild rice group had lower contents of serum and liver FFA than those of the high fat/cholesterol diet group and white rice-flour diet group (P < 0.05). Although Chinese wild rice group had a lower serum leptin level than the high fat/cholesterol diet group and white rice-flour diet group, there was no significant differences among the three groups (P > 0.05). The conditions of liver cell fatty degeneration in Chinese wild rice group were slight.
Conclusion: Compared to the white rice-flour diet, Chinese wild rice could improve the lipid metabolism and liver lipotoxicity of hyperlipidemic rats induced by high fat/cholesterol diet.