Hyperlipidemic model: Studying lipid profile in small experimental animal

Abstract

Fat-enriched diets have been used for decades to model obesity, hyperlipidemia, dyslipidemia and insulin intolerance in rodents. It has been observed that the disorders achieved by high-fat feeding resemble the human metabolic syndrome closely, and this also may extend to the cardiovascular diseases. Hyperlipidemia is an elevation of lipids (fats) in the blood stream. These lipids include cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides. They're transported in the blood as part of large molecules called lipoproteins. The objective of this study was to create a model by inducing hyperlipidemia in rats by long-term high-fat diet intake, then investigate the lipid profile, liver function test and histological alterations in liver tissues of these animals and discuss their potential significance. Results clearly shows that, high fat diet fed groups, showed significant increase in cholesterol level after 7th day with respect to control attaining the maximum level till 28th day post feeding and then after it the cholesterol starts metabolizing, thus level again decreases (Figure 1). Similarly triglycerides, VLDL and LDL shows significant increase between 21st day and maximum on 28 th day although later on the level decreases due to the metabolism of lipids.