Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of flaxseed on lipid profiles in diabetic rats, focusing on intestinal LXR a. Animals were randomly divided into 3 groups of 8 rats each. group1: rats + chow diet (control), group 2: diabetic rats + chow diet (diabetic control), and group3: diabetic rats + chow diet + 4% flaxseed (w/w) (flaxseed group). After one-month rats were sacrificed, blood was collected; lipid profiles were determined enzymatically as well as mRNA and protein levels of SR-BI were determined by RT-PCR and westernblot respectively. Compared with diabetic control (group 2), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides, and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) (all of them P < 0.01) significantly decreased in flaxseed group (group 3). Intestinal LXR a mRNA was significantly increased (P < 0.001) in flaxseed group treatment compared with diabetic animals (group 2). Levels of intestinal regulatory protein of LXR a significantly increased in flaxseed group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, flaxseedsignificantly reduced TC, LDL-C, TG, VLDL-C and atherogenic index, as compared with the diabetic rats (group 2). On the other hand flaxseed led to up-regulation of LXR a in the intestine of rats.

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