Antiatherosclerotic effects of fish extract feeding in rabbits

The feeding of a fish extract, prepared by extracting whole fish with 80% ethanol, prevented abdominal, thoracic aorta and coronary atheroma in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Daily fish extract feeding reduced serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels by 41.8 and 38.0%, respectively. In addition, triglyceride levels were reduced by 52.8%. Hepatic and aortic contents of cholesterol and phospholipids approached normal levels in cholesterol-fed rabbits on the fish extract diet. Fish extract feeding induced a greater fecal excretion of cholesterol. Plaque formation was very little or absent in the aorta of fish-fed rabbits.