COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON BIOCHEMICAL, HISTOPATHOLOGICAL AND FTIR-ATR SPECTRAL STUDIES OF HYPERLIPIDEMIA INDUCED BY CHOLESTEROL-RICH DIET IN RATS

Objective: To compare the routine biochemical and histological techniques with FTIR-ATR spectroscopic methods in diagnosing hyperlipidemia. Materials: Compositional changes in the serum and tissues reflects the healthy and pathological status of animals. FTIR-ATR was attempted as an additional tool for evaluating the composition in the serum as well as in tissues materials. To achieve this Wistar rats are administered with high cholesterol suspension with coconut oil orally for 30 days. Results: Hyperlipidemia achieved with oral feeding of cholesterol-rich diet (200 mg/dl) on rats with body weight of 180 ± 10.0 g led to a rapid progression of hyperlipidemia resulting might cause atherosclerosis. In blood, cholesterol level (269 ± 8.72), Triglyceride (194 ± 5.03), LDL (165 ± 5.10) increased and a decrease in the serum HDL level (39 ± 3.09) obtained in the cholesterol-rich fed hyperlipidemia was observed. FTIR- ATR spectral peaks were obtained (1165 cm^-1 for ring vibration mode of C-O-H and C-O-C bonds cholesterol ester with phosphoric acid, 1742 cm^-1 responsible for C=O group of cholesterol ester (HDL) and 2961 cm^-1 for triglycerides, etc.,) and internal peak ratio were calculated for different biomolecules analysis. The histopathological studies indicated that the high cholesterol diet fed to Wistar rat liver showed the appearance of microvesicular steatosis. Hepatocytes showed hydropic degeneration, swollen, vacuolated cells and fatty liver. Conclusion: The results of FTIR-ATR spectral analysis supports the biochemical and histopathological changes obtained in control and experimentally induced hyperlipidemic Wistar rat and could be considered as the additional technique diagnostic sector.