Scientists from the University of Warmia and Mazury determined the effects of adding sea buckthorn pulp oil to fodder on the fatty acid composition of the liver and adipose tissue of rats. The study also investigated the accumulation of retinol and its esters in the liver. The findings of the in vivo experiments were published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.

• The sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) pulp oil was found to contain high levels of C16 fatty acids, as well as carotenoids (mainly ?-carotene) and tocopherols (especially ?-tocopherol).
• For a period of 28 days, the research team fed the rats a modified casein diet containing sea buckthorn pulp oil, soybean oil and pork lard as sources of fat.
• The researchers found that the fatty acid profile was reflected in the composition of the adipose tissue and liver of rats.
• The adipose tissue is composed four main fatty acids: palmitic, oleic, linoleic and palmitoleic. A total share of these acids was close to 87 percent for rats fed with sea buckthorn pulp oil and 90 percent for soybean oil diet.
• The results also reveal that rats fed with the sea buckthorn pulp oil diet were found to have the highest level of retinol in the livers.
• The addition of sea buckthorn pulp oil to fodder significantly increased the levels of palmitoleic and vaccenic acids in both the analyzed tissues.

The results indicate that the addition of sea buckthorn pulp oil to fodder can affect the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue and liver in rats.

Find the full text of the study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Czaplicki S, Ogrodowska D, Zadernowski R, Konopka I. 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. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 2017;72(2):198–204. DOI: 10.1007/s11130-017-0610-9