Effect of vitamin E on lipid components of atherogenic rats

Rats were made atherogenic by feeding a synthetic diet containing high fat (20%) and cholesterol (2%) for two, three or four weeks. For alpha-tocopherol acetate supplementation studies, the rats on atherogenic diet for two weeks received alpha-tocopherol acetate 5 mg or 20 mg/100 g body weight once daily, orally for two weeks along with the atherogenic diet. Atherogenic diet fed rats showed elevated plasma cholesterol, hepatic total lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol and the increase in the constituents paralleled the period of feeding the diet. Administration of alpha-tocopherol acetate lowered the plasma cholesterol and hepatic lipid components in a dose-dependent manner. Supplementation with alpha-tocopherol acetate reduced the elevated osmotic fragility of erythrocytes from atherogenic diet fed rats to that of control levels. Thus alpha-tocopherol acetate administration to experimental atherogenic rats could normalize the altered lipid profile of atherogenesis and thereby reduce the risk for infarction.