Abstract
Re-heating of the oil each time leads to the breakdown and release of trans fatty acids (TFA) absorbed by the fried food, which enters the body and can cause damage to the immune system and lead to inflammation. The aim was to evaluate the protective role of Mentha piperita L. and Thymus vulgaris in alleviating the immune and inflammatory disorders in rats after chronic oxidized palm oil intake. Fifty male Wistar rats weighing between (150-200 g) were isolated into five groups: Group1, control group: received basal diet; Group2: received basal diet sustained with 15%(w/w) of palm oil heated for 10 times; Groups 3-5, rats fed oxidized palm oil (OPO) as group 2 and received water extract of menthe (290mg/kg BW/day), thyme (500mg/kg BW/day) and their combination by gavage, respectively for 6 weeks. Results showed that the rats fed with OPO had a significant decrease in the immunity parameters (IgG, IgM, and IgA), and significant increases in the inflammatory parameters (TNF-alpha, CRP, IL-1, IL-6, and MCP-1). The results obtained revealed that feeding rats on OPO induced notable increases in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and protein carbonyl contents (PCC) associated with a marked depletion in reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). However, the treatment of oxidized palm oil group with menthe and/or thyme extracts led to improved of the mentioned parameters comparing with the OPO group. In conclusion, our findings showed that menthe and thyme plants have beneficial health properties through immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.