Abstract
Current findings aimed to find out camel milk's effects on lipid metabolism, expression of the genes for antioxidant enzymes and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity in rats fed diet-containing cholesterol 1%. Therefore, 30 rats were divided into three groups (10 rats per each). Rats of the first group, which acted as a control group, fed a basic diet. Rats of the second group fed a basal diet that included 1% cholesterol however, rats of the third group fed cholesterol 1% accompanied by oral administration of camel's milk (100mL/24h/cage/5 rats) as the only source of water for them. Diet of cholesterol 1% induced significant increase in serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TAG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities whereas lower serum PON-1 activity was observed when compared to control. Diet of cholesterol 1% induced significant increase in hepatic Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) however, compared to the control, a significant decrease in the activity and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione-S transferase (GST), and reduced glutathione (GSH) were detected. These detrimental effects were ameliorated into accepted range in camel milk treated group. Fatty degeneration and fatty cysts in liver tissues were detected in rats fed cholesterol diet but the affected liver showed acceptable degree of recovery in camel milk treated group. Conclusively, camel milk was potential for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia in rats.