許多研究顯示油炸油含有大量的過氧化物,游離脂肪酸和極性化合物,這些有害物質容易引起各種疾病,亦可能對眼淚的質和量造成潛在的不利影響,但是迄今沒有直接報告證明攝食油炸食用油會對眼睛造成影響。因此本研究探討連續油炸油攝入是否會導致小鼠研究模型呈現乾眼症狀。實驗所用的油炸油皆來自市場上的油炸攤販,並檢查了總極性化合物的量及酸值的價數是否都在人體食用的規定範圍內。將小鼠隨機分成不同的研究組,並餵食不同劑量的油炸油及飲用水連續對照28天。每週測量體重、飲水、飲食、淚液量、淚液膜破裂時間和眼表面傷害。小鼠犧牲後取下眼睛包埋、切片並做蘇木紫-伊紅染色,結果顯示攝取油炸油會導致淚液體積和淚液膜破裂時間明顯惡化,角膜厚度變薄,淚腺細胞組織形態改變。研究結果顯示,經常食用油炸食品可能會導致乾眼症狀發生。
Many studies have shown that fried oils contain large amounts of peroxides, free fatty acids and polar compounds. These harmful substances are prone to cause cardiovascular diseases and other diseases. Previous studies have implicated that the harmful substances in the fried oils may pose potential detrimental effects on tear quality and quantity. However, there has been no direct report showing that fried oil consumption will lead to harmful effects to the ocular system. Hence, this study aimed to investigate whether fried oil intake may cause dry eye conditions in a mouse study model. Fried oils were derived from common shops on the market and were examined for the amount of total polar compounds and acid value that remained under regulation. The mice were randomly divided into different study groups and fed with either fried oil at different doses and fresh water at controls for a consecutive 28-day period. Body weight, diet, drinking water, tear volume, tear film break time, and ocular surface were measured each week. The mouse sacrificed the eye tissue to be mounting, sliced and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The results of fried oil intake showed evident deterioration of tear volume and tear film break time, the thickness of the corneal tissue is thinner and the tissue type of the lacrimal gland is changed. This study indicated that frequent consumption of fried foods can induce dry eye symptoms.