Red Palm Oil Administration in Undernourished Wistar Rats: Effects on Cognitive, Gastrointestinal, Skeletal, and Organ Parameters

Background: Malnutrition affects multiple physiological systems, including cognitive, gastrointestinal, skeletal, and organ functions. Red palm oil (RPO) contains bioactive compounds that may influence physiological responses to malnutrition. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of RPO on biomedical parameters in undernourished Wistar rats. Methods: This experimental laboratory study integrated several sub-studies using post-test-only and pretest-posttest control group designs. Male Wistar rats aged 3–4 weeks underwent 50% feed restriction for 14 days, followed by RPO administration at doses of 2, 4, or 6 mL/kgBW for 28 days. Groups included normal, negative, and selected positive vitamin A controls. Sample sizes varied across sub-studies. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Kruskal– Wallis, post hoc tests, and correlation analyses, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Result: Significant differences were observed in Y-maze cognitive performance (p = 0.031), intestinal weight (p = 0.003), femur weight (ANOVA p = 0.037; Kruskal–Wallis p = 0.048), and heart (p = 0.010), liver (p = 0.002), and kidney (p = 0.004) indices. Femur length differed significantly using Kruskal–Wallis (p = 0.042), but not ANOVA (p = 0.052). No significant differences were observed in hemoglobin levels (p = 0.494),motor performance (p = 0.120), lung (p = 0.070), or spleen (p = 0.120) indices. Contribution for Practice: RPO administration produced variable responses across biomedical parameters, providing preliminary preclinical evidence for further nutritional research. However, inconsistent dose-response patterns and the absence of significant effects on several outcomes limit its clinical applicability. Further mechanistic and clinical studies are required before RPO can be recommended for nutritional rehabilitation.