Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the effects of tea seed oil on reducing blood lipid and preventing fatty liver in rats. Methods: SD rats were fed for 4 days and then randomly assigned into six groups of 10 rats each: high fat control group (A), blank control group (B), high-dose tea seed oil group (C), medium-dose tea seed oil group (D), low-dose tea seed oil group (E) and olive oil control group (F). The daily food intake per kilogram of body weight of group A was 150 g high fat diet + 9.0 g normal saline, of group B 150 g basal diet + 9.0 g normal saline, of group C 150 g high fat diet + 9.0 g tea seed oil, of group D 150 g high fat diet + 3.0 g tea seed oil, of group E 150 g high fat diet + 1.5 g tea seed oil, and of group F 150 g high fat diet + 9.0 g olive oil. High fat models were established by feeding high fat diet. After feeding for 7 consecutive weeks, all rats were killed to determine the levels of serum TG, TC and HDL-C and to observe pathological changes in the liver. Results: Serum TG and TC levels were significantly decreased in tea seed oil-treated rats compared with the high fat control group (P ＜ 0.01), and slighter pathological changes were observed in the liver of tea seed oil-treated rats (P ＜ 0.05). Moreover, the high-dose tea seed oil group and the olive oil control group had similar pathological changes, with 90% normal or light degree fatty liver and 10% middle degree fatty live, which all exhibited manifestations similar to those of the blank control group. Conclusion: Tea seed oil has blood lipid-lowering and fatty liver-preventing effects.

Key words: tea seed oil, rat, blood lipid, fatty liver