Effect of dietary virgin olive oil on infarct volume and brain ceramide, cerebroside and phosphatidylcholine levels in rat stroke model

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in most industrialized countries after cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The aim of this study was assessment of relationship between the effect of virgin olive oil and brain lipid levels and infarct volume in rat stroke model.

Five groups، each consisting of 12 male Wistar rats، were studied. The groups consisting of control، sham and three treatment group received oral virgin olive oil (VOO) for 30 days (0. 25، 0. 5 and 0. 75 ml/kg/day، respectively)، control and sham groups received distilled water. Two hours after the last dose for rats، each main group was divided to 2 subgroups middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) -operated for assessment of infarct volume and «brain lipids level». The lipids (cerebroside، ceramide، phosphatidylcholine) and infract volume were compared using One way ANOVA (post hoc LSD). The assessment of relationship between brain lipids and infarct volume was done with correlation Pearson.

VOO increased the brain phosphatidylcholine level in doses of 0. 5 and 0. 75 ml/kg/day. VOO in dose of 0. 75 ml/kg/day increased the brain cerebroside level. Pretreatment with VOO decreased the brain ceramide levels in doses of 0. 5 and 0. 75 ml/kg/day (P<0. 05). Oral administration of VOO reduced infarct volume after transient MCAO in rats. There was significant relationship between increase of brain phosphatidylcholine level and decrease of infarct volume (P=0. 000، r2= 0. 45). There was significant relationship between increased brain cerebroside levels and decrease of infarct volume (P=0. 018، r2=0. 28). There was significant relationship between decrease brain ceramide levels and infarct volume (P=0. 000، r2= 0. 62).

VOO partly is associated with change in brain lipids levels and decrease in infarct volume or neuroprotection in rat.