LONG-TERM OVARIECTOMY EFFECT ON PLASMA-GLUCOSE, LIPIDS, ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINS, AND LIPID PEROXIDES - RELATIONSHIP WITH AORTIC CHOLESTEROL AND FATTY-ACID DISTRIBUTION IN RATS

This study was performed to determine plasma lipid changes and antioxi dant status in relation to cholesterol content and fatty acid distribu tion in the aorta of rats after long-term ovariectomy (OV). After 12 m onths, OV induced in rat plasma a significant increase in glucose, tot al cholesterol, and triglycerides compared with the corresponding valu es for the control rats (C) of the same age (p < 0.0005, p < 0.005, p < 0.0005, respectively). These changes were associated with a signific ant increase; in lipid peroxide level (p<0.05) and a significant decre ase in vitamin E in the plasma from group OV compared with the group C level (p < 0.0001). Conversely, OV after 7 and 12 months induced a si gnificant increase in vitamin C (p < 0.001, p < 0.0001, respectively). Concerning plasma fatty acid distribution, after 12 months, OV caused a significant increase in gamma and dihomo gamma linolenic acid (p < 0.0005, p < 0.05, respectively). These changes were associated with a significant increase in aortic cholesterol in group OV (p < 0.0005), a nd a significant decrease in the percentage of arachidonic acid (p < 0 .005) and of the total amount of fatty acids of the n-3 series (p < 0. 0001) and plasmalogen fatty acids (C 16:0, p < 0.005; C18:0, p < 0.05) compared with the corresponding values for group C. These results sho w that OV induced, independently of any effects of aging, plasma-speci fic lipid alterations with dysregulation of oxidative status, which co uld be crucial in the development of atherothrombotic disease.