Laboratory Animal Research  2016;32(3):171-179

doi:10.5625/lar.2016.32.3.171

Anti-atherosclerotic effects of perilla oil in rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet.

Yeseul CHA 1 ; Ja Young JANG ; Young Hwan BAN ; Haiyu GUO ; Kyungha SHIN ; Tae Su KIM ; Sung Pyo LEE ; Jieun CHOI ; Eun Suk AN ; Da Woom SEO ; Jung Min YON ; Ehn Kyoung CHOI ; Yun Bae KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

Hypercholesterolemia; atherosclerosis; fatty liver; lipid peroxidation; perilla oil

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Anti-atherosclerosis effects of perilla oil were investigated, in comparison with lovastatin, in rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD). Hypercholesterolemia was induced in rabbits by feeding the HCD containing 0.5% cholesterol and 1% corn oil, and perilla oil (0.1 or 0.3%) was added to the diet containing 0.5% cholesterol for 10 weeks. HCD greatly increased blood total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins, and caused thick atheromatous plaques, covering 74% of the aortic wall. Hyper-cholesterolemia also induced lipid accumulation in the liver and kidneys, leading to lipid peroxidation. Perilla oil not only attenuated hypercholesterolemia and atheroma formation, but also reduced fat accumulation and lipid peroxidation in hepatic and renal tissues. The results indicate that perilla oil prevents atherosclerosis and fatty liver by controlling lipid metabolism, and that it could be the first choice oil to improve diet-induced metabolic syndrome.