The Effect of Pistacia atlantica Nut Powder on Liver Phosphatidate Phosphohydrolase and Serum Lipid Profile in Rat

Abstract

Background: Phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAP) catalyses the dephosphorylation of phosphatidate to diacylglycerol and Pi. This reaction is a rate limiting and regulatory step in glycerolipid metabolism. The diacylglycerol is a precursor to the synthesis of phospholipids and triglycerides. Objective: In this study, the effect of Pistacia atlantica nut powder on liver PAP activity, liver triglyceride and serum lipid profile were investigated. Method: Four groups of rats (n=6/group) were fed with normal diet or normal diet plus10% W/W of pistachio nut powder for 15 and 60 days. At end of two periods, liver PAP activity, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL - C, LDL-C, VLDL - C and liver triglyceride content was measured. Results: Results showed that feeding rats with pistachio nut powder for 15 days had significantly increased cholesterol in all lipoprotein fractions and reduced liver content of triglyceride.(p0.05). On the other hand, rats fed for 60 days with pistachio nuts had no significant difference compared with the control group in all lipoprotein fractions (p>0.05), whereas the liver content of triglycerides significantly decreased (p<0.05). In addition, liver PAP activity also decreased nearly 16% in compare to the control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that pistachio nut had ability to reducing the rats liver content of triglyceride.

Keywords

• pistacia atlantica
• phosphatidate phosphohydrolase
• triglyceride
• cholesterol