[Effects of medium-chain fatty acid on weight gain and lipids metabolism in obese rats].
OBJECTIVE
Some researchers considered medium chain fatty acids a group of potential agents in the prevention of obesity for their particular metabolism characters.


METHODS
In this study, the authors investigated the effects of medium chain fatty acids on body weight gains, food intake, adipose depots and serum lipid profiles. Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed for 38 days with over-fat diets and oils containing MCFA at different level.


RESULTS
Significant decreases of body weight [( 295.2 +/- 29.7) g vs. (324.6 +/- 9.1) g] (P < 0.05), the weight of adipose pads [(5.30 +/- 1.57) g vs. (7.20 +/- 1.74) g](P < 0.05), the level of leptin in serum[(1.61 +/- 0.39) ng/ml vs. (2.04 +/- 0.46) ng/ml] (P < 0.05), the sizes of fat cells but increase of HDL-C [(0.73 +/- 0.12) mmol/L vs. (0.60 +/- 0.06)mmol/L] (P < 0.05) were noted in the group fed MCFA at 0.975 g/kg bw per day as compared with those of the group fed soybean oil.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested the role of MCFA in prevention of obesity and there is no adverse effect on lipid metabolism if the proportion of MCFA to total fat scouce is mild.
Xue
Kun
K
School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Guo
Hong-wei
HW
Chen
Feng-lin
FL
D000818:Animals; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated