PUMPKIN SEED OIL AS A FUNCTIONAL DIETARY COMPONENT: EFFECTS ON HEPATIC AND RENAL FUNCTIONS OF DYSLIPIDEMIC RATS

Dyslipidemia is a metabolic disorder associated with impaired hepatic and renal functions and an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. This study investigated the preventive effects of Cucurbita pepo Linn (pumpkin) seed oil on biochemical markers of liver and kidney function in male Wistar rats fed high-cholesterol diets. Thirty-six rats were randomly assigned into six dietary groups. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were fed diets based on palm oil (Control group), high-cholesterol diet containing palm oil and diet based on pumpkin seed oil respectively, while groups 4, 5 and 6 were respectively fed diets based on palm and pumpkin seed oils, high-cholesterol diet containing pumpkin seed oil and high-cholesterol diet containing palm and pumpkin seed oils. At the end of the ninth week, the rats were sacrificed and blood collected into plain bottles. The serum activities of GGT and LDH, and serum concentrations of free fatty acids, direct and indirect bilirubin were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the groups fed high-cholesterol diet containing pumpkin seed oil, and high-cholesterol diet containing palm and pumpkin seed oils compared with the control, but significantly (p<0.05) lower in comparison with the dyslipidemic group, while ALT and AST activities were not affected significantly (p>0.05). All the groups had significantly (p<0.05) lower concentrations of urea, creatinine and electrolytes in comparison with the dyslipidemic group. These findings suggest that pumpkin seed oil may exert hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects and could serve as a functional dietary component in the nutritional management of dyslipidemia and its associated complications.