Influence of dietary fiber on establishment and progression of atherosclerosis in rabbits

• Published in: The Journal of nutritional biochemistry 1995-09, Vol.6 (9), p.509-512
• Main Authors: Kritchevsky, David, Tepper, Shirley A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; cellulose; cholesterolemia; fiber; Medical sciences; psyllium; rabbits
• ISSN: 0955-2863; 1873-4847
• DOI: 10.1016/0955-2863(95)00104-8

Rabbits were fed a semipurified diet containing 0.5% cholesterol and either 14% cellulose or a psyllium-rich cereal (PRC) which actually provided 6.2% fiber (insoluble fiber/soluble fiber:2.21/1.00). The PRC-containing diet led to significantly lower serum total cholesterol, higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and less severe atherosclerosis. In a regression study, after 2 months on the atherogenic diet rabbits were placed on cholesterol-free diets containing 6% corn oil and 14% cellulose or PRC. After 3 months serum cholesterol levels had fallen by 33% in the group fed cellulose and by 51% in the group given PRC. Liver cholesterol levels fell by 62 and 74% in the cellulose and PRC groups, respectively. The average severity of atherosclerosis had risen by 35% in the cellulose group and by only 4% in the rabbits fed PRC. This study shows that compared with 14% cellulose, 6.2% psyllium fed as part of an atherogenic diet resulted in lower serum and liver lipids and less severe atherosclerosis.