Abstract
Several workers have studied the effects of rancid oils such as autoxidized or oxidatively polymerized oils on cholesterol metabolism in rats, however, little knowledge has been obtained. In the present study, the authors examined the influence of rancid oils (autoxidized, thermally oxidized, thermally polymerized oils) on plasma and liver cholesterol levels. Rats were fed ad libitum for 4 weeks with diets which contained 4% rancid soybean oils with or without cholesterol.
The results obtained were as follows :
1) Significant differences of plasma cholesterol levels between groups fed fresh oil and the corresponding oxidized or polymerized oils were not observed.
2) Liver cholesterol of rats fed thermally oxidized oil and thermally polymerized oil decreased.
3) Percentage of C18: 2 acid in liver lipids fed highly autoxidized oil decreased, but the component of fatty acid in liver lipids fed other rancid oils was similar to those of rat fed fresh oil.
