ABSTRACT
AIM: To study the effects of vitamins on vascular activity elements in rabbits with atherosclerosis risk factors to determine whether vitamins have a role in preventing atherosclerosis. METHODS: 26 male Chinese rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups. The first group was fed with normal feed as control group (n=6) .The other two groups were fed with normal feed plus cholesterol, lard and methionine as model group (n=10) and vitamin treatment group (n=10) respectively. In addition, the vitamin group was given multi-vitamin daily by gastrogavage. The experiment lasted for 8 wk. The vascular activity elements of the three groups were detected by radioimmunoassay and nitrate reductase respectively ,and the aorta pathological sample was prepared. RESULTS: In model group, the levels of plasma endothelin and thromboxane B 2/6-keto-prostaglandin F l? were significantly increased compared with control group, but serum nitric oxide showed no obvious changes between both groups. In vitamin group, the levels of plasma endothelin and thromboxane B 2 were significantly decreased, and the levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1? and nitric oxide were significantly increased compared with model group. In model group, there were significant pathological lesions, but the lesion was decreased by vitamin treatment. CONCLUTION: The vitamins supplement can alleviate or block the impairment of vascular endothelia caused by atherosclerosis risk factors, and help adjust the equilibrium of vascular activity elements. Therefore vitamins may play a positive role in preventing atherosclerosis.