THE EFFECT OF INTRAGASTRICALLY ADMINISTERED SESAME (SESAMUM INDICUM L) OIL ON GROWTH RATE AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE OF RATS FED A HIGH-FAT DIET.

Abstract

The effect(s) of sesame (Sesamum Indicum L) seed oil on the growth rate, performance and some biochemical parameters in adult albino (Wister) rats maintained on a high fat diet was examined. Adult rats maintained on a high fat diet were intragastrically fed 10mg/ml of sesame seed oil suspended in normal saline, daily for 60 days. Two other groups maintained on the high fat diet only (High fat diet control) and the normal diet (Normal diet control) were included. Water and diet were provided ad libitum. The rats were weighed weekly, while feed supply and left-overs were recorded daily. At 60 days, all animals were killed by decapitation. Blood and liver samples were taken for biochemical analyses. Feeding high fat diet significantly (P<0.05) increased the final body weight, liver and kidney weights of the rats compared to those on normal diet. Administration of sesame seed oil along with high fat diet further increased (P <0.05) the final rat body weight while decrease (P<0.05) was observed in the liver weight and a significant (P 0.05) decrease in the kidney weight was observed compared to the high fat diet fed rats. Biochemical profile shows significantly (P<0.01) higher levels of plasma proteins and globulins in the normal diet-fed rats compared to the high fat-diet-fed rats. Administration of sesame seed oil along with high fat diet significantly (P<0.01) increased the plasma glucose, total proteins, globulins and uric acid concentrations compared to the high fat diet fed rats. Significantly (P<0.01) higher glucose and uric acid levels and a significantly (P<0.01) lower globulin levels were observed in the sesame seed oil group compared to the normal diet control group. The plasma albumin concentration did not differ significantly among the groups.