Coconut oil on biochemical and morphological parameters in rats submitted to normolipidic and hyperlipidic diets/Oleo de coco em parametros bioquimicos e morfologicos de ratos submetidos a dieta normolipidica ou hiperlipidica

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of replacing soybean oil with extra virgin coconut oil in normolipidic and hyperlipidic diets, on the lipid metabolism of Wistar rats. In the first stage of the experiment (30 days), 36 rats were divided into 2 groups and fed with a control or a hyperlipidic diet. Six animals from each group were then killed, and the remaining rats were redistributed into 4 new groups: 2 groups remained on the control and hyperlipidic diets, and in the diets of the other 2 groups, the soybean oil was replaced with coconut oil (30 days). At the end of the assay, the biological models were decapitated for blood collection and removal of organs and peritoneal fat. Although the diet intake differed among groups during both stages of the experiment, no differences were noted with regard to weight gain and peritoneal fat. Replacing soybean oil with coconut oil in the rat diet lowered triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein serum concentrations in both groups. Liver parameters, namely, total cholesterol and triacylglycerols, increased with the substitution of soybean oil by coconut oil in the normolipidic diet and decreased in the hyperlipidic diet. Thus, replacing soybean oil by coconut oil may improve serum and liver lipid levels in Wistar rats. Key words: Cocos nucifera L., extra virgin coconut oil, obesity, rat, diet. O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a influencia da substituicao do oleo de soja por oleo de coco extravirgem em dietas normolipidicas e hiperlipidicas, sobre o metabolismo lipidico de ratos Wistar. Na primeira fase do experimento, 30 dias, 36 ratos foram distribuidos em dois grupos, receberam dieta controle e dieta hiperlipidica. Apos eutanasia de seis animais por grupo, os ratos de ambos os grupos foram redistribuidos em quatro novos grupos, dois permaneceram com as dietas controle e hiperlipidica e nos outros dois houve substituicao do oleo de soja por oleo de coco (30 dias). Ao final do ensaio, os modelos biologicos foram decapitados, para coleta de sangue, retirada de orgaos e gordura peritoneal. O consumo de dieta foi diferente entre os grupos durante as duas fases do experimento, porem sem diferenca no ganho de peso e gordura peritoneal. A substituicao, na dieta, do oleo de soja por oleo de coco diminuiu as concentracoes sericas de triacilglicerois e de lipoproteinas de baixa densidade, em ambos os grupos. Os parametros hepaticos colesterol total e triacilglicerois aumentaram com a substituicao do oleo de soja p