Dietary inhibition of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits by 2-ethyl-n-caproic acid

Four groups of rabbits were fed for 10 weeks on diets composed of rabbit pellets and lard (2.5%) and containing either cholesterol (2 %), 2-ethyl-n-caproic acid (2.5 %), or both. Blood samples obtained at two-week intervals were analyzed for α- and β-lipoprotein lipids; at the end of the experiment, the aortic intima was graded for atheromatous plaques, and aorta and liver lipid contents were determined.

The major changes in serum lipids during cholesterol feeding occurred in the β-lipoprotein fraction, and the dietary feeding of 2-ethyl-n-caproate had no effect on any of the individual lipid fractions in either control or experimental animals. As with the serum lipids, 2-ethyl-n-caproate had no effect on increases in aortic free and esterified cholesterol due to cholesterol feeding. However, rabbits on 2-ethyl-n-caproate, plus lard, plus cholesterol diet showed aortic atheroma of 5.5—20.4 % (mean, 12.9 ± 2.4), while rabbits fed on lard plus cholesterol had aortic involvement of 20–83% (mean, 46.5 ± 11.2).