Hypolipideimic and Hypocholestermic Effect of Pine Nuts in Rats Fed High Fat, Cholesterol-Diet

Pine nuts are cholesterol-free and good source of nutrients. It is rich in energy and consists of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. The present study was carried out to investigate the hypolipideimic and hypocholestermic effect of pine nuts on rats fed high fat, cholesterol-diet. Rats were divided into five groups of seven rats each. Group (1) kept as negative control group; the remaining four groups fed high fat, cholesterol diet. Group (2) kept as positive control group; groups (3), (4) and (5) fed diets supplemented with 5, 10 and 15% pine nuts, respectively. Data illustrated that positive control group had significant reduction in food intake and no significant change in body weight gain. It also had significant increase in serum levels of total lipid (TL), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, VLDL-C, AST, ALT and ALP and had significant decrease in serum level of HDL-C and value of HDL-C/TC ratio, compared to the negative control group. In contrast, supplemented diet with pine nuts caused significant reduction in food intake and non significant change in body weight gain. In addition to, a significant decrease in serum levels of the above mentioned parameters as well as significant increase in serum level of HDL-C and values of HDL- C/TC ratio, except low level of pine nuts (5%) induced no significant change in TG and HDL-C, as compared the positive control group. Normal histological structure was observed in heart of treated rats with 10 and 15% pine nuts and in aorta of treated rats with 15% pine nuts. It is concluded that pine nuts increased the reduction in lipid profile, lipoprotein cholesterol and liver enzymes. These decreases were increased with increase pine nut level.