Key result
Fish oil or verapamil alone reduces aortic atherosclerosis, but their combination shows no benefit.
Why the study?
Previous studies showed fish oil or verapamil can attenuate atherosclerosis development in lipid-fed rabbits, but their individual and combined effects on regression were unclear.
Does fish oil or verapamil induce regression of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits?
Does fish oil or verapamil induce regression of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits?
Captured external expert commentary on this paper, strongest first. Original sources are linked where available.
“To determine the optimum dosage that can slow the progression of atherosclerosis in humans, clinical trials are necessary.”
In a cholesterol-fed rabbit model, either fish oil or verapamil monotherapy significantly promoted the regression of aortic atherosclerotic lesions, whereas their combination did not.
Previous studies have shown that either fish oil or verapamil can attenuate the development of atherosclerosis in the lipid-fed rabbit. The present study was designed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of these two interventions on regression. Seventy New Zealand rabbits in seven groups (10 each) were fed a 0.3% cholesterol diet for 10 weeks. Control group C10 was then killed. Control group C20 was fed a 0.3% cholesterol diet and the other five groups were fed a normal diet for an additional 10 weeks. Group F in three treated groups received 2 ml/day of fish oil (Proto-Chol, eicosapentaenoic acid, 180 mg/ml and docosahexaenoic acid, 120 mg/ml) by gavage. Group V received verapamil, 2 g/1,000 ml drinking water, and group FV received both fish oil and verapamil for an additional 10 weeks. Group CF (control for fish oil) received 2 ml/day of water by gavage and group CV (control for verapamil) received water without gavage for an additional 10 weeks. The percent of aortic and pulmonary atherosclerosis was measured by planimetry of sudanophilic lesions. The percent of aortic lesions in the four control groups (C20, C10, CF and CV) was 57 +/- 22, 40 +/- 15, 40 +/- 14 and 33 +/- 25%, respectively. The fish oil or verapamil groups (F, V, FV) showed a significant reduction in aortic lesions: 15 +/- 17%, p less than 0.05; 16 +/- 12%, p less than 0.05; and 26 +/- 24%, p = NS, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Zhu et al. (1990) studied Atherosclerosis (n=70). Fish oil and verapamil vs. Water with/without gavage, or continued cholesterol diet was evaluated on Percent of aortic lesions (p=<0.05). Either fish oil (15% aortic lesions, P<0.05) or verapamil (16%, P<0.05) significantly reduced aortic atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits, but their combination did not (26%, P=NS).
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