Studies on SFA/TFA (Saturated/Trans Fatty Acid) Rich Dietary Fats on Lipid Profile and Antioxidant Enzymes in Normal and Stressed rats

In many of the preparations instead of saturated fatty acids (SFA), trans fatty acid (TFA) produced by partial hydrogenation of unsaturated oils were advocated as the preferred fatty acid base for solid fats. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of dietary fats rich in SFA and TFA on lipid profile and endogenous antioxidant enzymes in normal and stressed rats. Twenty eight day old male Wistar rats were fed for duration of 45 days with fat enriched special diet (10% fat) prepared with coconut oil (CO), palm oil (PO) (SFA rich), Vanaspathi (VP) (TFA rich) and groundnut oil (control) respectively. Present study claims the protective role CO against atherogenic index and lipid peroxidation under normal and stress conditions. PO though contains SFA possesses less beneficial effect than CO, but safer than VP in causing atherogenicity. Whereas VP by virtue of its hyperlipidemic and oxidative stress generating ability exhibits deleterious effects in causing atherogenicity. Hence the consumption of high content of TFAs may aggravate the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, this effect being worse when accompanied with stress.