Hypolipidemic effect of ethyl all-cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoate (EPA-E) in rats

We examined the effect of ethyl all-cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoate (EPA-E) with high purity on circulating lipids in rats under several experimental conditions. In normolipidemic rats, EPA-E decreased the lipids in a dose-dependent manner. Clofibrate (100 mg/kg/day) was more potent in lowering the lipids than EPA-E (1000 mg/kg/day). In high cholesterol diet-fed rats, EPA-E (300 mg/kg/day) decreased the total cholesterol. However, clofibrate (300 mg/kg/day) had little effect on the total cholesterol. In hypertriglycemic rats induced by corn oil, EPA-E (300 mg/kg/day) or clofibrate (100 mg/kg/day) reduced the rise of triglycerides. EPA-E (300 mg/kg/day), clinofibrate (100 mg/kg/day) or clofibrate (300 mg/kg/day) caused a significant reduction in the lipids induced by the injection of Triton WR-1339. Furthermore, EPA-E (300 mg/kg/day) or clinofibrate (100 mg/kg/day) decreased the elevation of lipids produced by feeding the rats a casein-rich diet. These results show that EPA-E possesses potent inhibitory activity on experimental hyperlipidemia induced either exogenously or endogenously.