[Effect of polygona-polysaccharids on atheromatous plaque: experiment with rabbits].

Objective: To study the effect of polygona-polysaccharids on the elimination of atheromatous plaque.

Methods: Thirty adult New Zealand rabbits were fed with high-fat and cholesterol forage for 8 weeks to establish hyperlipidemia animal models and then randomly divided into 3 equal groups: model group, simvastatin group receiving simvastatin orally, and polygona-polysaccharids group receiving polygona-polysaccharids orally. Ten rabbits were fed with normal food as control forage. At weeks 0, 2, and 8 the levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] were determined with enzyme method. At the end of the week 8, all rabbits were killed to observe the elimination of aorta atheromatous plaque by microscope.

Results: Before the experiment, there were no significant differences in the levels of serum lipids among all groups. At the end of week 2 (before treatment), the levels of serum TC of the model group, simvastatin group, and polygona-polysaccharids group were (10.2 +/- 1.6) mmol/L, (11 +/- 1.8) mmol/L, and (11.2 +/- 1.9) mmol/L respectively, the LDL-C levels of the 3 groups were (9.85 +/- 1.65) mmol/L, (9.80 +/- 1.54) mmol/L, and (10.08 +/- 1.88) mmol/L respectively, the Lp (a) levels of the 3 groups were (656 +/- 106) mmol/L, (700 +/- 151) mmol/L, and (666 +/- 111) mmol/L respectively, all significantly higher than that of the control group [(1.3 +/- 0.3) mmol/L, (0.55 +/- 0.15) mmol/L, and (106 +/- 15) mg/L respectively, all P < 0.01]. At the end of week 8 (after treatment), the levels of serum TC, LDL-C, and Lp (a) of the polygona-polysaccharids group were (6.0 +/- 2.0) mmol/L, (4.25 +/- 1.35) mmol/L, and (55 +/- 14) mg/L respectively, all significantly lower than that at the end of week 2 [(11.2 +/- 1.9) mmol/L, (10.08 +/- 1.88) mmol/L, and (666 +/- 111) mg/L respectively, all P < 0.01]. The aorta atheromatous plaques in the polygona-polysaccharids group were basically eliminated compared with that in the model group.

Conclusion: Polygona-polysaccharids (1.6 ml.kg(-1).d(-1)) has the effect of eliminating aorta atheromatous plaques.