The effect of vitamin C on the rapid induction of aortic changes in rabbits.

Abstract

SummaryMale rabbits were injected intraperitoneally for five con secutive days with one of the following: (A) 0.3ml/kg dimethyl ethylene glycol (solvent); (B) 40mg/kg cholesterol and 8mg/kg ergocalciferol in solvent; (C) same regimen as B with the addition of 150mg/kg ascorbic acid in water. Daily blood samples were taken for determination of cholesterol and triglycerides, and for lipoprotein electrophoresis. After 5 days of injections, histological sections were made of the aorta at the arch. After 5 days, group B, as compared with group A, had higher serum cholesterol (150mg/dl vs. 50mg/dl, p<0.005), higher serum triglycerides (650mg/dl vs. 150mg/dl, p<0.01), and lower high-density lipoprotein (16% vs. 35%, p <0.05). On autopsy, discontinuous elastic fibers and intimal damage were seen in sections of the aortas from group B, but not from group A. After 5 days, group C had control levels of cholesterol (55 mg/dl) and triglycerides (160mg/dl), and no significant difference from the control lipoprotein profile. Injections of cholesterol alone showed a slight induction of aortic lesions and blood chemistry changes. No alterations in these parameters were induced by ergocalciferol alone. The data indicate a prophylactic effect of vitamin C on the biochemical and histological changes rapidly induced by cholesterol and ergocalciferol.

Cholesterol metabolism in inherently scorbutic rats (ODS rats).

“…It also appears to play a significant role in cholesterol metabolism. Although ascorbate is reported to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in a number of animal experiments (1,2) and in some human studies (3-S), there is disagreement about the effects of vitamin C on cholesterol metabolism (6,7). Although some experiments K. KONO et al assessing vitamin C deficiency in animals have been carried out in chronically or marginally deficient states, these conditions produce loss of appetite, resulting in a kind of starvation.…”