Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Science- Department of Zoology

High-fat diet (HFD) feeding can induce obesity in rats that resemble human metabolic syndrome. Obesity is one of the most prevalent health conditions which may be associated with various diseases such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases. Egyptian freshwater clam Coelatura aegyptiaca is a Molluscan bivalve belonging to Unionoidae common in the Egyptian River Nile. Consumption of these clams as food by humans may significantly influence their health status. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-hyperlipidemic mechanisms of the clam extract (CE) in the rat model of high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, the aim of this study extends to investigate the efficacy of CE to ameliorate the side effects of the standard drug atorvastatin (antihyperlipidemic drug). Forty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups (8 rats/group); control, high-fat diet (HFD), atorvastatin (ATOR), Coelatura aegyptiaca extract (CE), and ATOR + CE. A high-fat diet (HFD) was induced hyperlipidemia with the energy of 5.3 kcal/g, comprising 60% calories from fat, 35% from protein, and 5% from carbohydrate for 4 weeks. CE group showed a reduction in the body weight gain, the concentrations of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), urea, uric acid, malondialdehyde (MDA), serum activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine and creatine kinase (CK). While, it caused a general increase in the levels of total protein (TP), albumin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL- C), as soon as the activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reduced (GSH) and catalase (CAT). The histopathological investigation showed improvement in the hepatic, kidney, and muscle tissues. The results of this study clearly show that CE has anti-hyperlipidemic potential through its antioxidant activity against high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia

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