High fat diet induced myocardial injury : a time response study

Background: Consumption of high fat diet may precipitate cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) by generating oxidative stress. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of high fat diet consumption for long duration on rat myocardium and to evaluate the time-response of such changes. Methods: 36 healthy, male albino wistar rats of body weight 150g±10g were divided into 6 different groups. 3 control groups of the animals were fed on normal diet and the other three groups were fed on high fat diet (60% energy from fats) for three different time points, i.e., 7, 15 and 30 consecutive days. Alterations in the levels of some important markers of cardiac injury, and biomarkers of oxidative stress along with the activities of some important antioxidant and prooxidant enzymes were assayed and the time-dependent response was analysed. Results: The results indicate that the biomarkers of cardiac injury and oxidative stress as well as the enzymatic activities significantly altered after feeding high fat diet (60%). The alterations revealed a time-dependent pattern and maximum changes were observed after 30 days. The results suggest involvement of oxidative stress in high fat diet induced myocardial injury. Conclusion: Consumption of high fat diet (60% energy from fats) can induce oxidative stress related alterations in rat myocardium in a strongly time-dependent manner.