Corn oil-induced decrease in arterial thrombosis tendency may be related to altered plasma vitamin K transport

In this article we report the effects of low and high fat diets on the arte rial thrombosis tendency in rats, The animal system used was the aorta loop model, in which we compared the effect of saturated (hardened coconut oil, HCO) and unsaturated (sunflower seed oil, SSO; corn oil, CO) fatty acids o n the arterial thrombosis tendency at high fat intake (50 energy%, 45 energ y% of which was either HCO, SSO, or CO). Under these conditions both SSO an d CO had a beneficial effect (relative to HCO) on the arterial thrombosis t endency. In a subsequent study we compared these high fat diets with a low fat diet (5 energy%), As compared with the low fat diet, only CO significan tly decreased the thrombosis risk. Serum vitamin K and triglycerides had de creased substantially after the CO diet, and to a much lesser extent after the SSO diet.jlr It is concluded that corn oil may have a mildly anticoagul ant effect, the potential benefit of which is discussed.