Hypocholesterolemic effects of diets containing different levels of kishk as a dried fermented milk–whole wheat mixture in experimental rats

Background: Kishk is a popular traditional functional food in Egypt. This study was performed to investigate the effects of different levels of kishk as a dried fermented milk/whole wheat mixture on growth performance, relative weight of organs, lipid profile, and some biochemical parameters in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet. Methods: Forty male rats were assigned to five groups, each consisting of eight rats. The first one presents the negative control group that received the basal diet, while the second group that serves as the positive (+) control group received a high-cholesterol diet (HCD). The last three groups received HCD supplemented with 10%, 20%, and 30% of kishk. Results: Rats fed diets containing various levels of kishk for 8 weeks had significantly (p < 0.05) lower body weights compared with the rats of both negative and positive groups. The liver/body weight ratio significantly increased in rats fed HCD compared with the control rats. Incorporation of kishk into the HCD at levels of 10%, 20%, and 30% significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased the change of liver/body weight ratio by 14.46%, 17.51%, and 18.78%, respectively, when compared with the HCD group. Results also indicate that rats fed HCD had a state of dyslipidemia, compared with the negative control group. Administration of HCD supplemented with various levels of kishk for 8 weeks significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated the increases in serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride concentration, and atherogenic indices, and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner compared with the HCD group. Activities of liver enzymes (alanine transferase and aspartate transferase) as well as kidney function parameters (urea, uric acid, and creatinine) were elevated in the HCD group compared with the negative control group. Conclusion: Consumption of HCD supplemented with various levels of kishk for 8 weeks induced a significant protective effect reflected in the reductions of the serum levels of aspartate transferase and alanine transferase, as well as kidney functions (uric acid, urea, and creatinine)