58 ISSN 1120-1770 online, DOI 10.15586/ijfs.v36i1.2463 P U B L I C A T I O N S CODON Italian Journal of Food Science, 2024; 36 (1): 58–67 Hematobiochemical, antioxidant, and lipid alterations in mice feed with thermally oxidized coconut oil Bashir Ahmad 1 , Ikram Ilahi 1 , Ayaz Ali Khan 2 , Mohammad Attaullah 1 , Akbar Ali 3 *, Mustajab Ghani 4 , Ahsan Saidal 4 , Ziad Khan 4 , Fahad Al-Asmari 5 , Manal Y. Sameeh 6 , Amal A. Mohamed 6 , Salma Saddeek 7 , Aminah A. Barqawi 6 1 Department of Zoology, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 2 Department of Biotechnology, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 3 Department of Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan; 4 Khyber Medical University, Institute of Health Sciences, Matta Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 5 Department of Food and Nutrition Sciences, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al- Ahsa, Saudi Arabia; 6 Department of Chemistry, Al-Leith University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia; 7 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hafr Al Batin, Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia *Corresponding Author: Akbar Ali, Department of Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Gurunanakpura, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. Email: akbarchm@gmail.com Received: 29 October 2023; Accepted: 30 December 2023; Published: 11 January 2024 © 2024 Codon Publications OPEN ACCESS PAPER Abstract In the present study, the effects of recycled oxidized coconut oil were assessed on hematobiochemical, antioxidant and cardiac markers in albino mice. In all, 24 mice were divided into three groups: group I, II, and III; animals in each group received a normal diet as well as fresh and deep-oxidized coconut oil. e outcomes demonstrated that group III mice fed with thermally oxidized coconut oil revealed a significant alteration in the form of decreased levels of alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, total white blood corpuscle, platelet count, hemoglobin (Hb), Hb concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and hematocrit (HCT) (p > 0.05). Likewise, levels of triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein in group III were high, while level of high-density lipoprotein was weakened. Moreover, it was observed that administration of oxidized coconut oil (group III) caused significant changes in the levels of creatinine, uric acid, serum urea, total proteins, globulin, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, and serum glucose as well as concentrations of serum electrolytes, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. is study also showed that group III mice had low levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and radical scavenging capacity and high levels of thiobarbituric reactive substances. How- ever, animals in group II, fed with diet of fresh coconut oil, showed normal levels of all the above-mentioned hematobiochemical, antioxidant, and lipid markers, compared to control mice (group I) and group-III animals. e histological findings of the liver and heart further confirmed the findings of the current investigation, that is, deep-oxidized coconut oil has negative consequences and ought to be avoided. Keyword: oxidized coconut oil; hematology; lipid profile; serum electrolytes; histology Introduction Coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is known as the “tree of life.” Belonging to the family Aracaceae (palm family), coconut is considered as an integral part of human diet and livelihood (Henrietta et al., 2022). Coconut oil con- tains about 91% saturated fats and 8% unsaturated fats. Medium chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid, make up more than half of the lipids in coconut oil. e main natu- ral source of lauric acid is coconut oil (Arias et al., 2023).