Oxidized palm oil impairs reproductive functions and architectures in female rats

Objective: To evaluate the effects of three oxidized palm oil diets (OPD) on female rat reproductive function. Methods: Forty-four female Wistar rats presenting five consecutive and regular estrous cycles were divided into 4 groups. The rats were fed with: a standard diet, 70% of standard diet+30% oxidized palm oil diet (OPD1), OPD1+5 g of boiled yolk egg (OPD2) and OPD1+10% sucrose (OPD3) for 125 days, respectively. During the feeding period, morphometric, estrous cycle, sexual behavior, gestation, biochemical and histomorphometric parameters were evaluated. Results: All OPDs significantly increased abdominal circumference, body mass index and Lee index coupled to an irregularity and lengthening of the estrous cycle. They significantly decreased appetite and consumption behaviours, quantic pregnancy index, fertility rate, implantation sites and index, serum progesterone and high-density lipoprotein levels, increased pre-implantation losses, anti-implantation activities, serum estradiol, triglycerides, total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, and impaired brain and ovaries oxidative status. Histomorphometric examinations revealed increases in the number of atresic and primary follicles and decreases in secondary, tertiary, Degraaf, total and corpus luteum follicles in ovaries coupled to a neurodegeneration of hypothalamic anteroventral periventricular neurons in the OPD groups compared to the standard diet group. Conclusions: The three OPDs induce obesity and impair the female reproductive function, especially OPD2 and OPD3. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the adverse effects of palm oil bleaching on the reproductive function in female rats, which could be useful in the management of women with obesity-related sexual dysfunction.