The Protective Effect of Red Cabbage on Water-Soluble Fractions of Spent Crankcase Oil-Induced Alterations in Lipid Function Biomarkers and Atherogenic Indices in Male Albino Rats.

Introduction: Spent crankcase oil (SCO) contains a cocktail of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), passed on to the associated water-soluble fractions (WSF); and low dose heavy metals exposures could cause a rise in the triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) concentrations. Hence, this study sought to estimate the changes in the lipid profile and atherogenic indices of male Wistar albino rats exposed to the WSF of SCO and treated with aqueous extracts of RC for 60 and 90 days.

Methods: 64 male Wister albino rats divided into 8 groups (8 animals each) were orally administered 1ml of deionized water, 500mg/kg aqueous extracts of RC, 1ml of 25%, 50%, and 100% WSF of SCO daily for 60 and 90 days, while alternate groups were given the aqueous extracts and the stated percentages of the WSF. After exposure, serum TG, TC, LDL, and VLDL concentrations were analyzed using appropriate kits and the results were used to estimate the atherogenic indices.

Results: While the 60days study presented a non-significant (P<0.05) difference in the TG, and VLDL levels in the exposed groups compared to the control and the treated groups, a significantly (P<0.05) elevated LDL was recorded for the exposed groups (78.06±3.89, 74.32±3.39, 74.80±6.08), in higher levels than the treated groups (40.60±6.07, 48.22±6.34, 66.75±2.97), compared with the control (27.85±4.24). All parameters, except the HDL level, increased after 90 days in the 100% and 25% exposed groups compared to the control and the RC treated groups.

Conclusion: RC extracts can act as good hypolipidemic agents in WSF of SCO hyperlipidaemia potentiating events.