Effect of Arabica Coffee Husk on Plasma Lipids and Obesity on Albino Rats

Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the effects of coffee husk (CH) on lipid profile and plasma glucose levels in rats over an 8-week period. Eighteen male Albino rats were divided into three groups: a control group received a standard diet, a high-fat diet (HFD) group received a standard diet containing 20% palm olein oil, and a CH group received a standard diet containing 20% palm olein oil and 7% CH. Different types of white adipose tissues were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results demonstrated that the control group presented the lowest levels of total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and plasma glucose. The HFD group showed significantly increased levels of all parameters compared to both control and CH groups (p < 0.05). The CH group recorded moderate levels for all measured indicators, which may reflect the positive effect of the husks on blood lipids. Moreover, the size of adipose tissue cells was smaller in the CH group compared to the HFD group. HPLC results illustrated that CH contains 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, rosmarinic acid, quercetin, caffeic acid, catechin hydrate, and gallic acid (254.2, 5.415, 4.471, 3.381, 2.865, and 2.823 ppm, respectively). The positive effect of CH could be attributed to the presence of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and rosmarinic acid. In conclusion, coffee husk could potentially be used as a supplement to lower plasma lipid levels. Further research should be conducted to examine the coffee husks' impact on chronic diseases.