Palm oil fat diet consumption and its effects on serum liver enzymes and microscopic changes in experimental rats

The present study aimed to observe the effect of consumption of heated palm oil especially with regard to liver histology and enzymes such as alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). We divided forty female Spraque-Dawley rats into four groups (I to IV). The group I was administered with 2% cholesterol diet. The groups II, III and IV were administered with 2% cholesterol diet fortified with 15% weight/weight (w/w) fresh palm oil (FPO), heated once palm oil (1HPO) and heated five times palm oil (5HPO), respectively for a period of 16 weeks. Blood for liver enzymes were drawn and analyzed prior to and at the end of the study. At the end of the study the animals were sacrificed and the liver tissue was examined histologically. The histological specimens were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Fresh, heated once and heated five times palm oil diet caused significant increase in serum ALT compared to their respective baseline values. No significant difference in the ALT levels among groups fed with oil was observed. The increase in serum ALP was only observed with heated once and five times palm oil. Histologically, palm oil rich diet causes liver inflammation and microsteatosis but not necrosis. The hepatic histological changes were not affected by heating. High fat diet cause inflammation, microsteatosis and altered serum ALT and ALP in the liver. The histological changes and altered liver enzymes were not affected by heating except for serum ALP.