S. Lata et al., ASCORBIC-ACID IN RELATION TO LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC GUINEA-PIGS, Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition, 23(3), 1997, pp. 165-175
The effect of ascorbic acid on serum lipids and lipid peroxidation has
been studied in guinea pigs kept on a high cholesterol diet for 6 and
16 weeks. After 6 weeks, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprot
ein (LDL), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and triglycerides (TG)
decreased significantly (p<0.001) in ascorbic acid-treated (groups 3
and 4) guinea pigs in comparison to their levels in hypercholesterolem
ic guinea pigs (group 2). Similar results for TC, LDL, and VLDL were o
bserved after 16 weeks. However, the TG levels showed a nonsignificant
decrease (NS) in group 3 and a significant decrease in group 4 (p<0.0
5) in comparison to those in group 2, after the 16 weeks study. The hi
gh-density lipoprotein (HDL) level after both 6 and 16 weeks showed a
significant increase in the ascorbic acid-treated animals. The serum l
ipid peroxide level of animals fed both cholesterol and ascorbic acid
showed a significant decrease p<0.01). These results suggest that asco
rbic acid lowers the serum level of cholesterol and protects lipids ag
ainst peroxidative damage induced by hypercholesterolemia.