Effects of Dietary Fish Oil and Apple Polyphenol on the Concentration Serum Lipids and Excretion of Fecal Bile Acids in Rats.

We studied the effects of fish oil and apple polyphenol combined with a high cholesterol diet in rats, and assessed serum and liver lipids concentrations, serum oxidative stress and fecal bile acid excretion. Young male rats were fed a diet containing the control (Control), apple polyphenol (AP), fish oil (FO) or fish oil+apple polyphenol (FO+AP) for 4 wk. The control diet contained a lard component. Posterior abdominal wall fat and testicle peripheral fat weights decreased in the FO+AP group compared to the AP group. The concentration of total cholesterol in the serum and liver decreased in the FO group and the FO+AP group compared to the Control and the AP groups. The concentration of adiponectin and biological antioxidant potential in the serum increased in the FO group compared to the other groups. The diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites in serum decreased in the FO group and the FO+AP group compared to the Control and the AP groups. The bile acid excretion in feces increased in the AP group, the FO group and the FO+AP group compared to the Control group. These results suggested that the combination of fish oil and apple polyphenol in the diet improved serum and liver lipids, which should assist in the prevention and improvement of metabolic syndrome.