Corrective role of chickpea intake on a dietary-induced model of hypercholesterolemia

A feeding trial was conducted in order to evaluate the potential effect on the lipid profile in a experimentally induced situation of hypercholesterolemia of a previously uninvestigated legume (Cicer aretinum L.) widely included in Mediterranean and Latinamerican human diets. Rats fed on a hypercholesterolemic diet containing saturated fat, cholesterol and cholic acid (H) had 123 percent higher serum cholesterol and 62 percent greater triacylglycerols levels than the animals receiving casein (C) protein. The LDL and VLDL cholesterol levels were 1330 percent and 35 percent higher, respectively, and HDL cholesterol 34 percent lower in the group of animals given the H diet as compared to controls. Further feeding of the hypercholesterolemic rats with animal protein (HC) resulted in a significant decrease of triacylglycerols (-70 percent), which reflected the decrease in the VLDL fraction. These effects on the lipid metabolism were more marked when the legume Cicer aretinum L. was present in the diet (HL). Significantly decreased concentrations of total cholesterol (-54 percent) and triacylglycerols (-70 percent) as well as the levels of LDL (-54 percent) and VLDL (-70 percent) were seen in rats fed chickpeas. In conclusion, a differential hypocholesterolemic effect between dietary casein and chickpea intake in a model of hypercholesterolemia induced by the diet was found, with beneficial effects on the lipid metabolism when legume was included in the diet as compared to casein. This suggests, for apparently the first time, that chickpea consumption may have a corrective effect in some alterations of the lipid profile.