Unlocking the Potential of Stingray (Dasyatis sephen) Extract: A Novel Investigation into EPA and DHA Effects on Lipid Metabolism in High-Fat Diet-Fed Wistar Rats

Introduction: Dyslipidemia is a complex disturbance in lipid metabolism with notable implications for cardiovascular health. Considering the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) on global mortality, lipid regulation should be eminently prioritized. Stingray (Dasyatis sephen) is one of the natural resources believed to be rich in lipid-regulating compounds: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We aimed to investigate the impact of the stingray extract on the lipid metabolism of Wistar rats subjected to a high-fat diet. Methods: We adopted a true experimental design with three experiment groups: a negative control (standard diet and distilled water), a positive control (high-fat diet and distilled water), and a specified treatment group (high-fat diet and stingray extract). Serum samples were collected after 28 days of treatment and analyzed for HDL and ApoB levels as dyslipidemia markers. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA for HDL and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests for ApoB levels, followed by post-hoc analysis. Results: The results revealed worsening HDL and ApoB levels in the positive control group compared to the negative control group following a high-fat diet consumption. In contrast, the experiment group showed improvements in HDL and ApoB levels compared to the positive control group following the administration of the extract. However, only the dynamics in HDL level are significant (p<0.05), while the difference in ApoB levels among all treatment groups was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study highlights the potency of D. sephen extract in regulating lipid metabolism despite the complexity of lipid metabolism regulation and the challenges of the conventional reliance on HDL and ApoB as exclusive markers of cardiovascular health.