The Effects of Dietary Taurine Supplementation on Plasma and Liver Lipid in Ovariectomized Rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary taurine supplementation on plasma and liver lipid content in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups, one that was OVX and the other sham operated (Sham). They were further divided into either control or taurine supplemented dietary (2.0 g/100 g diet) subgroups. Plasma lipids (Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and Triglycerides) and liver lipids were determined by using commercial kits (Wako Pure Chemical, Osaka). LDL-cholsterol content was estimated by the equation of Fridewald et al (1972). There were no significant differences in body weight gain and food intake between the OVX or controls rats that were either control or taurine fed, but body weight gain was higher in the OVX groups. Food intake and the food efficiency ratio were not significantly different between the dietary subgroups. The concentrations of plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides were lower in the taurine, OVX group while the HDL-cholesterol and the LDL-cholesterol levels were not reduced in the two taurine fed subgroups. There were no significant differences in liver cholesterol and triglyceride content between the control, OVX and the taurine, OVX rats. There were no significant differences in the atherogenic index between control, OVX and taurine, OVX groups. These results confirmed that taurine exerts some beneficial effects on hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia of the OVX rats.