Au480 automatic biochemistry analyzer

The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were detected using an AU480 automatic biochemistry analyzer (Beckman Coulter, Inc., Brea, CA, USA). TC was measured by cholesterol oxidase phenol 4-aminoantipyrine peroxidase method, TG was measured by glycerol phosphate oxidase-p-aminophenazone method, LDL-C and HDL-C were measured by direct method, and ALT and AST were measured by substrate method. All kits were purchased from Autobio Diagnostics Co., Ltd. (Beijing, China).

After two weeks of acclimation, 24 SD rats were randomly and evenly divided into four groups, treated with normal diet + water (Group I), high-fat diet + water (Group II), high-fat diet + 3% dark tea infusion (Group III), high-fat diet + 3% probiotic dark tea infusion (Group IV) for six weeks. The food intakes and body weights were monitored every two days. At the end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed after a 12 h fasting period. Blood samples were collected to measure serum total triacylglycerol (TG), serum total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels with corresponding kits, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, using an AU480 automatic biochemistry analyzer (Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA).