[Effect of polygona-polysaccharids on atheromatous plaque: experiment with rabbits]

To study the effect of polygona-polysaccharids on the elimination of atheromatous plaque.

Thirty adult New Zealand rabbits were fed with high-fat and cholesterol forage for 8 weeks to establish hyperlipidemia animal models and then randomly divided into 3 equal groups: model group, simvastatin group receiving simvastatin orally, and polygona-polysaccharids group receiving polygona-polysaccharids orally. Ten rabbits were fed with normal food as control forage. At weeks 0, 2, and 8 the levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] were determined with enzyme method. At the end of the week 8, all rabbits were killed to observe the elimination of aorta atheromatous plaque by microscope.

Before the experiment, there were no significant differences in the levels of serum lipids among all groups. At the end of week 2 (before treatment), the levels of serum TC of the model group, simvastatin group, and polygona-polysaccharids group were (10.2 +/- 1.6) mmol/L, (11 +/- 1.8) mmol/L, and (11.2 +/- 1.9) mmol/L respectively, the LDL-C levels of the 3 groups were (9.85 +/- 1.65) mmol/L, (9.80 +/- 1.54) mmol/L, and (10.08 +/- 1.88) mmol/L respectively, the Lp (a) levels of the 3 groups were (656 +/- 106) mmol/L, (700 +/- 151) mmol/L, and (666 +/- 111) mmol/L respectively, all significantly higher than that of the control group [(1.3 +/- 0.3) mmol/L, (0.55 +/- 0.15) mmol/L, and (106 +/- 15) mg/L respectively, all P < 0.01]. At the end of week 8 (after treatment), the levels of serum TC, LDL-C, and Lp (a) of the polygona-polysaccharids group were (6.0 +/- 2.0) mmol/L, (4.25 +/- 1.35) mmol/L, and (55 +/- 14) mg/L respectively, all significantly lower than that at the end of week 2 [(11.2 +/- 1.9) mmol/L, (10.08 +/- 1.88) mmol/L, and (666 +/- 111) mg/L respectively, all P < 0.01]. The aorta atheromatous plaques in the polygona-polysaccharids group were basically eliminated compared with that in the model group.

Polygona-polysaccharids (1.6 ml.kg(-1).d(-1)) has the effect of eliminating aorta atheromatous plaques.