Effect of Low Fat Diet with or Without Some Types of Berries Fruit on Rats Suffering from Hypercholesterolemia and Diabetes

Herein we aim at investigating the impact of a low-fat hypercholesterolemic diet with or without white mulberry, black mulberry and blueberries fruits on rats suffering from hypercholesterolemia and diabetes . Fifty-four male albino rats (Sprague Dawley) were split into mainly two groups. In the first group, six rats were subjected to feeding based on basal diet as a negative control, whereas for the second one, forty eight rats were subjected to feeding on a hypercholesterolemic diet for six weeks for inducing hypercholesterolemia. Following that, total cholesterol, as well as triglycerides, were measured in normal and hypercholesterolemic groups to ensure hypercholesterolemia induction. The second main group was then subjected to injection using alloxane (150 mg / kg body weight) for inducing hyperglycemia. The second major group consists of 8 subgroups, including subgroup (1) fed on a hypercholesterolemic diet (positive control group)a, and subgroup (2) fed on a hypercholesterolemic diet comprising half amount of soybean oil (12.5%) and used as low-fat hypercholesterolemic diet (LFHD) (positive control group)b. Subgroup (3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) was fed on a low-fat diet as described in subgroup (2), but contained 2.5 and 5% white mulberry, black mulberry and blueberries, respectively. The results revealed that , blueberries and black mulberry have a stronger effect in improving BWG%, organs weight/body weight%, lipid profile, liver enzymes, glucose and kidney function than white mulberry for rats suffering from hypercholesterolemia and diabetes, especially the high levels (5%).