title: Effect of lycopene-enriched olive and argan oils upon lipid serum parameters in Wistar rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lycopene has the highest antioxidant activity within carotenoids and is an effective free radical scavenger. Virgin olive oil (VOO) and argan oil (AO) contain trace amounts of a wide variety of phytochemicals which have desirable nutritional properties. The present study intended to assess the effect of various dietary VOO and AO in combination with lycopene consumption on serum biochemical parameters, including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TGs) and phospholipids, as well as on hepatosomatic index (HSI) of rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that ingestion of VOO and AO diminished TC, LDL-C, TGs and phospholipid levels, whereas the HDL-C levels augmented in all the groups assayed. The enrichment of VOO and AO with lycopene improved the beneficial effects derived from the consumption of both oils on serum biochemical parameters. A decrease in body weight gain and HSI was detected after the consumption of lycopene-enriched oils.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the inclusion of lycopene in VOO and AO may be used as a natural tool to fight against hyperlipidaemic and hypercholesterolaemic-derived disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Life and Nature Sciences, Ziane Achour University, Djelfa, Algeria.
authors.forename: Aziouz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aidoud
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ammouche
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Ana B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D000077276:Lycopene; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D002338:Carotenoids; C555574:argan oil; D000077276:Lycopene
keywords: argan oil; high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; lycopene; triglyceride; virgin olive oil