The Effects Of Tra-heteromerous Beta-carotene From Dunalielia Salina On Experimental Atherosclerosis In Quails

Objective: To study the effects of tra-heteromerous beta-carotene from dunalielia salina on experimental atherosclerosis in quails and its possible mechanisms. Methods: In this study, 80 healthy male quails (avoirdupois 98. 11±13. 54g) were divided randomly into four groups based on oral feeding with different diet everyday.Ⅰgroup(ordinary diet control group): ordinary diet + peanut oil;Ⅱgroup (high-cholesterol diet controls group): high- cholesterol diet + peanut oil;Ⅲgroup(β-C 25mg/Kg group): high-cholesterol diet +β-C 25mg/Kg;Ⅳgroup (vitamin E 50mg/Kg group): high-cholesterol diet + vitamin E. At the end of 8th week, the venous blood of quails in each group was collected for detection of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride(TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), high density lipoprotein chofesterol(HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) and the value of LDL-C, VLDL-C and the ratio of HDL-C/TC were calculated. Quails at the end of 8th were killed, and the aorta artery, liver taken out, the contents of total cholesterol(TC), free cholesterol(FC), cholesterol ester (CE)and MDA in arterial wall measured. The arterial wall and liver were examined by light microscopy. Results: At the end of second week, the levels of serum TC,TG,LDL-C+VLDL-C,and MDA in the arterial wall of groupsⅡ,Ⅲ,Ⅳwere higher than those of ordinary diet control group, and last to the end of eighth week, but the rate of HDL-C/TC last low to the end of eighth week. (P＜0. 05, p＜O. 01). At the end of eighth week, the levels of serum TC, TG, LDL-C+ VLDL-C, and MDA of groupsⅢ,Ⅳwere lower than those of higher-cholesterol diet control group, and the rate of HDL-C/TC was higher than those of higher-cholesterol diet control group. The level of serum TG was not different between groupsⅢ,Ⅳand those of higher-cholesterol diet control group. At the end of eighth week, the levels of TC, FC, CE and MDA in arterial wall of groupsⅢ,Ⅳwere lower than those of high-cholesterol diet controls (P＜0. 05). Histological Examinations showed that there were 10-20 layers of foam cells in high-cholesterol diet controls, and 2-4 layers inⅢ,Ⅳ. groups, which suggested that the proliferation of smooth muscle cells ofⅢ,Ⅳgroups was much less than that of higher cholesterol diet control group. The lessions in hypercholesterol group were severe with in incidence of atherogenic plaque being 91. 67%, and were mild inⅢ,Ⅳgroups, significant difference was observed among the groups(p＜0. 05). Hepatic histopathological examinations show that the pathological changes of fatty liver in quails ofβ-C 25. 00 mg/kg were alleviated. The percentage of the liver cell with denatured fat was lower than that of the higher-cholesterol diet control group (P＜0. 05). Conclusion: Beta-carotene could regulate lipid metabolism, scavenge the lipoperoxidation and inhibit the deposition of cholesterol and its ester in the arterial wall to prevent the development of AS and fatty liver.