Beneficial dietary effect of turmeric and sulphur on weight gain, fat deposition and lipid profile of serum and liver in rats.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of turmeric powder and processed sulphur on the weight gain, body fat deposition and lipid profile of serum and liver in Wistar rats. Twenty-five rats of 6 weeks old were divided into five groups with 5 rats in each group. Each group was fed different diets as follows I. common diet (CON); II. high fat diet (HFD); III. 10% turmeric powder with HFD (T); IV. 10% turmeric powder and 0.19% processed sulphur with HFD (TS); and V. 0.38% processed sulphur with HFD (S). The experimental feeding was continued for 6 weeks. The body weight gain and feed efficiency ratio (FER) in the T and TS group rats were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of the HFD group rats. The retroperitoneal fat weights in the rats belong to T, TS and S groups were lower than that of the HFD group rats and the TS group had significant (p < 0.05) reduction in retroperitoneal fat compared to the HFD group rats. The epididymal fat weights in rats of the T, TS and S groups also showed a lowering tendency compared to that of the HFD group rats. The hepatic total lipid levels in the T and TS group rats were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of the HFD group rats. The hepatic triglyceride level in the rats of TS group was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of the HFD group rats. The serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) associated cholesterol contents in rats of the T and TS group were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of the HFD group rats, however, there was no significant difference in serum triglyceride. The results suggest that turmeric powder along with sulphur can reduce the weight gain, body fat deposition and improve serum and liver lipid profile in rats fed with a high fat diet.