| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A short-term study was carried out using guinea pigs to determine the effects of <it>Curcuma domestica</it> on lipid composition in the serum and aorta.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Animals were given food pellets containing 4% (w/w) powdered rhizome of <it>C. domestica</it> in order to determine its effect on cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid levels in the aorta and serum. The animals were fed either a cholesterol free diet or a high cholesterol diet (2% cholesterol, w/w, in food pellet) in order to induce hypercholesterolemia.. After five weeks of this diet treatment, blood and aorta were taken for biochemical analysis and histological studies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>C. domestica</it> in the diet showed no significant effect on the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid in the serum and aorta of the cholesterol free diet animals. However, addition of <it>C. domestica</it> to a high cholesterol diet counteracted increases in the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid in the aorta. Histology studies showed less cholesterol deposits in the aorta of high cholesterol diet animals given <it>C. domestica</it> compared to the high cholesterol diet animals not given <it>C. domestica</it> supplement. <it>C. domestica</it> also had a lowering effect on triglyceride level in the serum of high cholesterol diet animals but showed no effect on serum cholesterol and phospholipid levels.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study has shown that dietary intake of <it>C. domestica</it> decreased all lipid composition levels in the aorta and also the serum triglyceride level. In addition, <it>C. domestica</it> also reduced cholesterol deposition in the aorta of high cholesterol diet animals.</p>
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