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Fig. 3 | BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Fig. 3

From: Maternal intake of dietary virgin coconut oil modifies essential fatty acids and causes low body weight and spiky fur in mice

Fig. 3

Fatty acid profile of the diets analysed by GCFID and alteration in the fatty acid profile of standard diet (Brand: Barastoc) when treated with virgin coconut oil as detected by GCFID. Fatty acids were transformed into fatty acid methyl ester via trans-esterification method. a & b: Growth curve showing increase in weight over time of which coconut oil diet shows consistent low body weight over time in comparison to standard diet. a: Measurement taken beginning at the onset of the dietary intervention until 3 weeks of age. b: Increase in weight until 6 weeks of age and showing data through the end of the experiment. *shows significant decrease in body weight in comparison to standard diet. c: The chromatogram shows the results of standard diet (STD) fatty acid profile; omega-6 linoleic acid, elaidic acid and palmitic acid appeared to be the highest in the profile of STD as indicated by blue arrows. d: The chromatogram shows the results of virgin coconut oil diet (CO) fatty acid profile; caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid and myristic acid were pronounced in its increase as indicated by red arrows. Elaidic acid, linoleic acid, alpha linoleic acid, erucic acid, docosadienoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were visibly reduced, indicated by blue arrows. Docosahexaenoic acid was reduced from 2.2% in STD to 0% in virgin coconut oil diet, indicated by blue circled arrow. Capric acid increased from 0% in STD to 5.9% in virgin coconut oil diet, indicated by red circled arrow. e: Histogram showing representation of fatty acids from c. f: Histogram showing representation of change in fatty acids after virgin coconut oil treatment. Vast increase in the percentage of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid and myristic acid, as a result, MCFAs of the total fatty acid profile of STD diet was raised. All data are based on laboratory analysis

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