Effect of dietary alpha-ketoglutarate on blood lipid profile during hypercholesterolaemia in rats

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of alpha-ketoglutarate on the blood lipid profile using a rat animal model with experimentally induced hypercholesterolaemia.

The female and male (30/30) Wistar rats had ad libitum access to a diet containing cholesterol (1 %) and lard (10 %) throughout the entire experimental period (120 days). On day 60 of the study, both the females and the males were divided into three groups, the first receiving a mixture of drinking water adjusted to pH 4.6 using HCl (control), the other two (experimental groups) receiving a solution containing 0.01 M and 0.1 M alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) (pH adjusted to 4.6). Blood samples were taken on days 0, 30, 60 and 120.

The concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL, respectively, in the blood serum were estimated spectrophotometrically. During the entire experimental period the total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL levels of the control rats increased, whereas that of HDL decreased. The serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in both the experimental groups receiving AKG decreased (days 60 to 120) (p<0.05), while the HDL concentration tended to increase. The body gain in all groups receiving AKG was significantly lower than in the control group.

These observations clearly prove that oral treatment with AKG can decrease the risk of hypercholesterolaemia developing and can lower the body weight. The relative concentrations of the plasma LDL and HDL changed to a more favourable ratio promoting good health.