Fungal chitin-glucan from Aspergillus niger efficiently reduces aortic fatty streak accumulation in the high-fat fed hamster, an animal model of nutritionally induced atherosclerosis.

The effects of chitin-glucan (CG) on early atherosclerosis, cardiac production of superoxide anion, and hepatic antioxidant enzymes were studied in an animal model of atherosclerosis. Three groups of 12 hamsters were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 weeks. They received by gavage either water (control group) or CG in water at a dose of 21.