Effect of Sea-Buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) Pulp Oil Consumption on Fatty Acids and Vitamin A and E Accumulation in Adipose Tissue and Liver of Rats

An in vivo experiment was conducted to determine the effect of sea-buckthorn pulp oil feeding on the fatty acid composition of liver and adipose tissue of Wistar rats and the liver accumulation of retinol, its esters and α-tocopherol. For a period of 28 days, rats were given a modified casein diet (AIN-93) in which sea-buckthorn pulp oil, soybean oil and pork lard were used as sources of fat. Compared to the other fat sources, sea-buckthorn pulp oil was the most abundant in C16 fatty acids, carotenoids (mainly β-carotene) and tocopherols (mainly α-tocopherol). Its consumption was reflected in an increased share of palmitoleic acid in adipose tissue and the liver and an increased level of retinol in liver tissues (this was not observed for its esters). Although the type of fat did not have a significant effect on the average content of α-tocopherol in the liver, the variation of saturation of this tissue with α-tocopherol was the lowest when rats were fed a diet containing sea-buckthorn oil. This experiment indicates the possibility of affecting adipose tissue and liver by a diet.