Behaviour of Tunisian fed high-calorie diets: biochemical disturbance and histopathological alterations.

This work investigated the biochemical disturbances and histological alteration in animal model fed different high calorie diets (HCDs) during three months. Four diets were used: a low-calorie natural diet, halophyte plant used as control (LCD), a high standard carbohydrate diet rich in protein, HCD 0, a high carbohydrate diet rich in two concentrations of fat, HCD 1 and HCD 2. All animals having received HCDs developed dyslipidemia after one month of experiment with distinction of different sub-groups developing or not obesity and diabetes. HCDs induced a remarkable increasing in blood cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels indicating a fast induction of dyslipidemia and a significant increase of aminotransaminases activities revealing a pronounced hepatotoxicity. Animal developing diabetes showed a severe hepatic injury, a degeneration of the adipose tissue and a significant reduction of retinal thickness. seems to be an excellent animal model to investigate nutritional metabolic diseases.