TITLE:
Study the Effect of Different Levels of Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) on the Biological Indicators for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Rats Fed High-Fat Diets
AUTHORS:
El-Sayeda G. E. El-Sahar, Hala R. A. Sopeah, Mona S. Almujaydil
KEYWORDS:
Atherogenic Index, Cardio Protective, Cucurbita pepo L., High-Fat Diet, HDL-C, LDL-C, Lipid Profile, Zucchini
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.11 No.2,
February
10,
2020
ABSTRACT: The effects of fresh zucchini on nutritional status, and biological
indicators for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in rats fed high-fat
diets investigated in this study. Thirty
Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two main groups the first, negative control group Co (-) (n = 6), fed
basal diet, The second group (n = 24) fed high-fat diet (containing
basal diet + 5% tallow + 1% cholesterol + 0.02%
bile salt). This group was divided into four subgroups each group 6 rats: group
positive control co (+) fed high-fat diet only, group 1 (G (1)) fed high-fat
diet plus 10% zucchini, group 2 (G (2) fed high-fat diet plus 15% zucchini and
group 3 (G (3)) fed high-fat diet plus 20% zucchini. The levels of serum total
cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)
were measured after eight wk. of experimental treatment. The pathologic changes
of the heart, spleen and kidney were evaluated. SPSS, one way ANOVA was used to
analyze the results. The results indicated that the mean values of body weight gain (BWG) and
feed efficiency ratio (FIR) in G (2) and G (3) showed significant decrease
compared to co (-), co (+) and G 1. The results showed that in groups (G1, G2 and G3) the
relative weight of heart had significant increase when compared with control negative
group. But liver and spleen weight had no
significant difference when compared with control negative and positive
group, the levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were significantly increased in co (+) (P
%, 15% and 20%)
had significant decrease in TC and LDL-C compared with co (+), also G2 and G3 had improve significant in HDL-C when compared
with co. (+). The groups fed on zucchini give results similar to group
co. (-). The best treatment was zucchini (15% and 20%)
which had lowest values of total lipid cholesterol
and LDL-C, and the best values of HDL-C, HDL-C/TC % for all groups fed
on high fat diet and zucchini increased non significantly (p ≤ 0.05) the
HDL-C/TC % index compared to group co. (+). while, G2
and G3 gave significant decrease in
LDL-C/HDL-C ratio compared to group co. (+). Morphologic
changes of heart, spleen and kidney revealed that groups G2 and G3 had a
similar preventive effect against CHD in this experimental model. In
conclusion, results showed that zucchini had similar potential to attenuate CHD-related
parameters in a mild oxidative stress induced by high-fat diet in rats.