Background: Hypercholesterolemia is a condition in which the blood contains elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL). There are varieties of different diets used by different laboratories as a recipe for induction with varying levels of hypercholesterolemia. This study aims to investigate the role of cholic acids in enhancing hypercholesterolemia parameters in Sprague Dawley rats.
Method: Nine Sprague Dawley rats (250 g ± 50 g BW) were used to investigate the most effective diet that is cost-effective for inducing hypercholesterolemia. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal diet (ND) (n=3), high cholesterol diet (HCD 1), a combination of 2% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid (n=3), and high HCD 2, a combination of 2% cholesterol and 30% ghee (n=3). After 4 weeks of feeding, blood samples were collected for lipid profiling. which include total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The liver, kidney, and brain were removed for histopathological examination using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.
Result: The lipid profile measurements show significant differences between the HCD 1 group for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol/HDL ratio compared to the normal group. HCD 2 shows no significant changes in lipid profiles compared to the normal group.
Conclusion: Cholic acid helps in the absorption of cholesterol and enhances the hypercholesterol parameters in diet-induced SD rats based on lipid profile analysis and histology of the liver and kidney.