Nutr Res Pract.  2008 Dec;2(4):204-210. 10.4162/nrp.2008.2.4.204.

Effect of Chlorella vulgaris on lipid metabolism in Wistar rats fed high fat diet

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, 11-1 Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Korea. mkk@ewha.ac.kr

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate effects of Chlorella vulgaris on lipid metabolism in rats fed high fat diet. Sixty 6-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into two groups; normal diet group and high fat diet group, then the rats in each group were further divided into three subgroups and fed 0%, 5% and 10% (w/w) chlorella-containing diets, respectively, and raised for 9 weeks. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and total protein and albumin concentration were not different among groups. Serum total lipids and liver TG concentration were significantly lower in 5% and 10% chlorella groups than 0% chlorella group in high fat diet groups (p<0.05). Serum TG, serum total cholesterol, liver total lipid and liver total cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in 10% chlorella groups than 0% chlorella group in high fat diet groups (p<0.05). Fecal total lipid, TG and total cholesterol excretions were significantly higher in 5% and 10% chlorella groups than 0% chlorella groups in normal diet and high fat diet groups, respectively (p<0.05). These results suggest that Chlorella vulgaris is effective for prevention of dyslipidemia which may be due to the modulation of lipid metabolism and increased fecal excretion of lipid.

Keyword

Chlorella vulgaris; serum lipids; high fat diet; Wistar rats

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Animals
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Chlorella
Chlorella vulgaris
Cholesterol
Diet
Diet, High-Fat
Dyslipidemias
Humans
Lipid Metabolism
Liver
Male
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Alanine Transaminase
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Cholesterol

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Liver concentrations of total lipids in Wistar rats fed different levels of dietary fat and chlorella. Data were expressed as mean ± SE, n=10 rats in each group. Different superscripts are significantly different (p<0.05).

  • Fig. 2 Liver concentrations of triglyceride in Wistar rats fed different levels of dietary fat and chlorella. Data were expressed as mean ± SE, n=10 rats in each group. Different superscripts are significantly different (p<0.05).

  • Fig. 3 Liver concentrations of total cholesterol in Wistar rats fed different levels of dietary fat and chlorella. Data were expressed as mean ± SE, n=10 rats in each group. Different superscripts are significantly different (p<0.05).


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