Lipid and glucose utilization in hypercholesterolemic rats fed a diet containing heated chickpea (Cicer aretinum L.): a potential functional food.

This feeding trial evaluated the influence of a diet containing heated chickpea in a dietary induced rat model of hypercholesterolemia in order to assess some possible protective and therapeutic effects on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorders as found with other legumes. Rats fed a diet enriched with coconut oil (25%) and cholesterol (1%) for 42 days (HH) showed a situation of type IIa hyperlipoproteinemia. However, these lipid alterations were improved in the hypercholesterolemic rats receiving control (HC) and legume (HL) diets for 16 days. Moreover, results confirm that the chickpea was more effective than the control diet containing casein in the normalization of triglycerides as well as total and LDL-cholesterol levels. On the other hand, the HH group showed a marked reduction in the liver glycogen content and Glucose-6-Phase activity (involved in glyconeogenesis) and an increase in Glucokinase (GK) activity (involved in glucose utilization). In contrast, the rats receiving chickpea re-established the liver glycogen deposition as compared to the HH group. Also, the chickpea intake increased the GK activity as compared to the control diet. The overall results support that chickpea intake may be recommended in humans with altered lipid profile such as type IIa hyperlipoproteinemia. Additionally, data concerning carbohydrate utilization indicated its potential positive effects in diabetes therapy and their role as biological active food supplements.