Abstract

ABSTRACT
The effect of short term dietary manipulation of fat with or without calorie restriction (at 40% level) on the
collagen to minimize ageing process in skeletal muscle was studied. Twenty four male wistar albino rats were
equally distributed as Group I, Group II, Group III and Group IV. Animals in the Group I and Group III were fed with
diets containing linoleic acid low (coconut oil) and linoleic acid rich (corn oil) ad libitum, whereas those in Group II
and IV were fed the same diets at 40 per cent calorie restriction respectively from 18 to 24 months of age with free
th access to water. The rats were sacrificed at the end of 24 month and skeletal muscle was collected for analysis
collagen. Biochemical estimation of collagen was done. Collagen level was found to be significantly increased in
both ad libitum fed groups. This increase in collagen level can be attributed to the premature ageing of skeletal
muscle accelerated by free radicals in adlibitum fed rats. The collagen level in the skeletal muscle of senescent rats
was found to be decreased in both the calorie restricted diets.Histological and histochemical studies on the section
of gastrocnemius muscle were taken up to reveal the dietary effects on muscle collagen distribution.
KEY WORDS- Collagen, ageing, calorie restriction, skeletal muscle

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