Normolipidaemic activity of liposomal-encapsulated superoxide dismutase in rats

To determine the regulatory effects of superoxide dismutase (SOD) on lipid metabolism a simple model of hyperlipidaemia induced by a hypercholesterolaemic (HCT) diet in rat was used. In animals fed a HCT diet, triglyceride (TG) were increased by 126%, total cholesterol (TCT) by 40%, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) by 124% and the TCT/HDL ratio by 82%. The procedure would therefore appear to model some of the risk factors of atherogenesis. In animals fed a hypercholesterolemic diet, liposomal Cu-SOD (200 micrograms/kg i.m. every two days; 1000 micrograms/kg i.m./day) decreased TG by 29 and 49%, TCT by 14 and 36%, TCT/HDL ratio by 32 and 60%, VLDL by 52 and 55% respectively and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) by 17 and 46% respectively. The present experiments show therefore that the administration of liposomal SOD has a marked effect on lipid parameters (particularly TCT and TG) and might therefore reduce the atherogenic risk by increasing HDL and decreasing VLDL and cholesterol atherogenicity ratio (CAR).