[Effects of gamma linolenic acid on atherosclerosis induced by cholesterol-rich diet in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of gamma linolenic acid (GLA) on atherogenesis in rats.


METHODS
Sixty healthy male rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal contro 1, fed by normal feed; atherogenesis mode 1, fed by high lipid diet; positive control group 0.9 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) of lovastatin and group IV 250 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) duoxikang; high dose of 375 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) GLA; low dose of 187.5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) GLA. After the model group received atherogenic diet for six weeks, serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were detected by enzyme method to confirm the formation of atherogenic. After fed for another five weeks, morphologic atherosclerosis of aorta in rats was observed by HE staining methods. The blood samples were collected and serum TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, T-AOC, HL, LPL, NO, NOS, MDA and GSH were determined.


RESULTS
GLA attenuated the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, inhibited the level of serum TC, TG, MDA, OX-LDL, NO, NOS, HL, LPL and LDL-C and increased the level of T-AOC.


CONCLUSIONS
GLA might significantly attenuate the development of atherosclerosis in rats fed with high lipid diet through improving the antioxidation capacity of the body.
Shi
Li-mei
LM
School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
Ge
Hai-tao
HT
Kong
Xiu-qin
XQ
Cai
Yuan-feng
YF
Li
Peng-fu
PF
Liu
Zhi-li
ZL
Kong
Ling-dong
LD
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid
D008055:Lipids; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol