Raisins Preserve Thyroid Gland Function and Structure in an Animal Model of Hypercholesterolemia

Statins are among the first line of pharmacological treatment of lipid disorders and lowering serum cholesterol, but they have many side effects.

The study aim was to evaluate the role of raisins in protecting the thyroid function and structure in a rat model of hypercholesterolemia, through biochemical and histopathological investigation.

Thirty male rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10 each) of albino rats included the control, high cholesterol diet (HCD)-fed for 13 weeks and HCD plus Raisins were included in this study. Blood levels of glucose, insulin, cholesterol, lipids, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), T3, T4, oxidants/anti-oxidants were assessed. Thyroid gland was processed and examined histopathologically using light and electron microscopy.

Feeding HCD resulted in hypercholesterolemia in rats after 13 weeks as evidence by lipid profile. Ingestion of raisins along with HCD resulted in a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in the levels of insulin, blood glucose, thyroxine (T4) and malondialdehyde (MDA), while the levels of TSH, T3 and total anti-oxidant capacity significantly (P < 0.001) elevated. Raisins histologically alleviated the HCD-induced structural changes in the thyroid glands that included degenerated mitochondria and increased lipid droplets in the cytoplasm.

Simultaneous administration of raisins along with HCD, administrated for a short time, could modulate the negative effect on thyroid gland structure and function.