Evaluation of the effects of diet with coconut oil on the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids in wistar rats

The present study Aimed to evaluate the effect of coconut oil on rats submitted to ahypercaloric and hyperlipidic diet. It has about 28 male Wistar rats divided into four groups, group I: animals fed a diet hypercaloric; group II: animals treated with the high calorie diet plus coconut oil; group III: animals treated with commercial ration and group IV: animals treated with commercial ration plus coconut oil. The animals Were weighed and had the glycemia Evaluated weekly throughout the experiment until the day of sacrifice. After 54 days of the experiment, blood was collected for the determination of the total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides and glucose, and the atherogenic index and the Lee index Were calculated from the results. In addition, the histopathological analysis of the liver glycogen was Performed to quantify. It was Observed que the hypercaloric diet with or without coconut oil and commercial coconut oil did not alter the weight of the animals, consequently there was the induction of obesity in any of the groups, the use of the refrigerant During the 27 days may have contributed to this result. Total plasma cholesterol levels of the normal Also Remained Within limits, the DID triglyceride, HDL and glycemia levels. There was no risk for the development of cardiovascular diseases. In the histopathological analysis is hepatic glycogen deposition, it was shown That the animals treated with commercial ration with or without coconut oil had a higher occurrence of hepatocytes positive for glycogen stores, Whereas the groups with a hypercaloric and hypercaloric diet with coconut oil decrease in hepatocytes positive for PAS, as well as areas presenting degeneration. It was That Concluded the diet hypercaloric and coconut oil did not alter the weight of the animals, but there Were important biochemical Alterations such as the Increase of triglycerides, glucose and HDL in the animals.