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BackgroundTrans-fatty acids (TFA) are known as a risk factor for coronary artery diseases, insulin resistance and obesity accompanied by systemic inflammation, the features of metabolic syndrome. Little is known about the effects on the liver induced by lipids and also few studies are focused on the effect of foods rich in TFAs on hepatic functions and oxidative stress. This study investigates whether high-fat diets with different TFA levels induce oxidative stress and liver dysfunction in rats.MethodsMale Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups (n = 12/group): C receiving standard-chow; Experimental groups that were fed high-fat diet included 20% fresh soybean oil diet (FSO), 20% oxidized soybean oil diet (OSO) and 20% margarine diet (MG). Each group was kept on the treatment for 4 weeks.ResultsA liver damage was observed in rats fed with high-fat diet via increase of liver lipid peroxidation and decreased hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase). The intake of oxidized oil led to higher levels of lipid peroxidation and a lower concentration of plasma antioxidants in comparison to rats fed with FSO. The higher inflammatory response in the liver was induced by MG diet. Liver histopathology from OSO and MG groups showed respectively moderate to severe cytoplasm vacuolation, hypatocyte hypertrophy, hepatocyte ballooning, and necroinflammation.ConclusionIt seems that a strong relationship exists between the consumption of TFA in the oxidized oils and lipid peroxidation and non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The extent of the peroxidative events in liver was also different depending on the fat source suggesting that feeding margarine with higher TFA levels may represent a direct source of oxidative stress for the organism. The present study provides evidence for a direct effect of TFA on NAFLD.

There are now several lines of evidence that lipids play fundamental roles in the pathogenesis of AD and that some of them have a prognostic and diagnosis value. This may pave the way for the identification of new therapeutic targets, new effective drugs and / or new treatments.

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Date pulp and seeds (Phoenix dactylifera L.) of a mixture of some mature common varieties called 'Khalti', from the South-Eastern region of Tunisia, were evaluated for their main chemical composition. Studies were also conducted on the profiles of the extracted oil fatty acid. The following average values (on a dry-weight basis) were obtained from the pulp and pits, respectively: total sugars 63.38% and 8.12%, reducing sugars 51.56% and 6.63%, sucrose 11.82% and 1.49%, protein 3.86% and 5.31%, oil 0.26% and 8.33%. Gasliquid chromatography revealed that the major unsaturated fatty acid was linoleic acid (32.77%) for the pulp and oleic acid (47.66%) for the pits, while the main saturated fatty acid was palmitic acid (20.55%) for the pulp and lauric acid (17.39%) for the pits. Myristic, stearic and linolenic acids were also found in both the pulp and seeds. The uses of common dates, which are currently used only for animal feed, are assessed with suggestions for potential uses as sources of nutraceutical fructose and edible, pharmaceutical oils.

Four cultivars (Gondi, Gasbi, Khalt Dhahbi, and Rtob Ahmar) of Tunisian date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits at 3 maturation stages, besser, rutab and tamr, were analyzed for their antioxidant activities (AA) using 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals cation, and reducing power (RP) methods. The total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), and condensed tannins (CTC) contents were measured. Results showed that all samples have the highest TPC, TFC, CTC, and AA at besser stage. A significant correlation (p < 0.05) was found between TPC, TFC, CTC and AA during ripening. Sixteen phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC. The major ones were caffeic, ferulic, protocatechuic, and catechin for the majority of cultivars. Our data indicate that common date fruits are rich in natural antioxidants that might be more widely used by both the general population and the food industry as a source of bioactive human health promoter phytochemicals.