The Effect of Various Types of Fat on the Cholesterol Distribution in the Rat

Abstract Experiments were conducted with and without addition of 1 per cent cholesterol to diets containing 20 per cent of fats of the following types: 1. corn oil, 2. 19.5 per cent hydrogenated coconut oil and 0.5 per cent corn oil, and 3. 12 per cent hydrogenated coconut oil and 8 per cent olive oil. Following a 3 weeks' pre‐experimental period on a fat free diet adult female rats were given the experimental diets for 6 weeks. In rats given cholesterol corn oil caused the well known transfer of cholesterol from plasma to the liver. In rats given diets containing cholesterol and corn oil the cholesterol content of the liver was considerably higher and serum cholesterol much lower in rats given the diet containing olive oil. The result indicate that linoleic acid probably enhances cholesterol absorption over and above the effect of oleic acid. The carcass cholesterol of rats given corn oil was slightly lower than in rats given type 2 of fat. The difference was statistically significant on cholesterol free diets. When various tissues were analysed corn oil induced transfer to other tissues than the liver could not be observed.