Hypolipidemic and body fat-lowering effects of Fatclean in rats fed a high-fat diet

The body fat-lowering and hypolipidemic effects of a Fatclean formula were examined in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet. Animals were given a normal control (NC) diet or a 15% high-fat (HF) diet with or without Fatclean (5%, wt/wt) supplement for 6 weeks. Fatclean formula contained phenolic compounds (14.3 mg/g) and other functional compounds. Fatclean formula significantly lowered final body weights and visceral fat-pads weights, plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations, hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and hepatic hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA) and acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activities compared to the HF group. Furthermore, adipocytic lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity was also significantly elevated in the Fatclean group than in the HF group. The high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol/total-cholesterol (HDL-C/Total-C) ratio and atherogenic index (Al) were significantly improved in the Fatclean group than in the HF group. The accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets and the epididymal white adipocyte size were diminished in the Fatclean group than in the HF group. Accordingly, Fatclean seemed to be beneficial for the reduction of body weight and/or body fat and its hyperlipidemic property was highly active for enhancing the plasma lipids profile. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.