Hypocholesterolemic effect of sardine oil and oil-sardine (Sardinella longiceps) fish.

In cholesterol bile-salt stressed rats, sardine oil or oil-sardine fish reduced serum cholesterol. In the absence of dietary added cholesterol, these had no effect on serum cholesterol. Sardine oil, but not sardine fish, seemed to depress the growth of rats significantly. The weights of heart and liver of rats cholesterol were not significantly different. Sardine oil or oil-sardine did not have any significant effect on cholesterol content of heart or liver. Histopathologically, however, in rats fed cholesterol, but not sardine oil or sardine fish, fat cysts were present in liver.