ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the vascular endothelial function in atherogenic diet fed rabbits during a variety of feeding time. Methods: 12 Japanese big- eared rabbits were fed either a normal control diet or an atherogenic diet (containing 1 % cholesterol,5% lard and 2% yolk) for 14 weeks. At different feeding times (week0, 1,2,4,6,8,10,12,14),vascular endothelial functions ,including endothelial dependant dilation (EDD) and non- endothelial dependant dilation (NEDD) were measured with high- resolution ultrasound. Results: EDD dysfunction occurred after 1 week of atherogenic diet feeding. With continued feedings ,EDD dysfunction was progressively worse. NEDD dysfunction occurred at week 8,much later than EDD dysfunction. Conclusion :Vascular endothelial functions including EDD and NEDD in atherogenic diet fed rabbits were seriously damaged. EDD dysfunction occurred much earlier than NEDD dysfunction.