Rats fed blended oils containing coconut oil with groundnut oil or olive oil showed an enhanced activity of hepatic antioxidant enzymes and a reduction in LDL oxidation.

The effects of feeding Wistar rats with blended and interesterified oils of coconut (CO):groundnut (GNO) or CO:olive (OLO) on liver antioxidant enzyme activities and susceptibility of LDL to oxidation were studied. The hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in the rats fed CO:GNO blend and interesterified oils were increased by 31% and 21%, when compared to the rats given CO. The superoxide dismutase activity was increased by 31% and 28%, and catalase (CAT) activity was increased by 37% and 39%, respectively, in rats given blends and interesterified oils of CO:GNO, as compared to those given CO. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were increased by 17% and 20% in rats given CO:GNO blend and interesterified oils. Glutathione transferase (GST) level was also found to be increased by 26% and 31% after feeding blended and interesterified oils of CO:GNO, compared to those given CO. The LDL oxidation, which was elevated by feeding GNO, was found to be reduced by 10% and 14%, respectively, in the groups fed blended and interesterified oils of CO:GNO. Similarly, CO:OLO blended oils enhanced SOD, CAT, GPx and GST activities by 34%, 43%, 27% and 23%, respectively, compared to the rats given CO-containing diets. The corresponding increases in theses antioxidant enzyme activities when CO:OLO interesterified oils were fed to rats were 38%, 50%, 28% and 26%, respectively, when compared to rats given CO-containing diets. There was a significant reduction in hepatic LPO as well as oxidation of LDL, when blended and interesterified oils of CO:OLO were fed to rats. The results demonstrated that blended and interesterified oils of CO with GNO or OLO enhance hepatic antioxidant enzymes, decreased lipid peroxidation in liver and reduced the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation.