Toxic effects of sunflower oil on ethanol treated rats

In the present study, we investigated the effect of raw as well as thermally oxidized sunflower oil (commercially available) on ethanol induced hepatotoxicity. Ethanol was given to animals at a level of 20% and sunflower oil at a level of 15%. Results show higher activity of plasma aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and also higher levels of plasma and tissue cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides both in alcohol + raw as well as thermally oxidized oil groups. The level of cholesterol and triglycerides increased significantly in the liver of rats given alcohol alone, alcohol and raw as well as thermally oxidized oil but the level of phospholipids decreased. The activity of phospholipase A and phospholipase C in liver was found to be increased significantly in alcohol alone, alcohol + oil groups as compared to control group. Histopathological changes in the liver of alcohol and alcohol + oil groups were in good correlation with biochemical parameters. The liver samples of alcohol administered rats showed both microvesicular and macrovescicular type of fatty changes, where as alcohol + oil fed groups showed inflammatory cell infiltrate in the portal triad, microvesicular and macrovesicular type of fatty changes and feathery degeneration of hepatocytes. Studies on the phospholipid fatty acid composition in the liver showed the presence of a number of fatty acids in the alcohol and oil treated groups, which are not present in the control group. The results obtained thus indicate hepatotoxic and hyperlipidaemic effects of alcohol and oil given together. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.