Experimental atherogenesis was induced in male rabbits. The experimental animals were fed with cholesterol in order to induce atherogenesis. The experiments were lasted for four months. During the procedure, the following biological variations were measured monthly. These include, the pathological changes in the arteries and heart, plasma cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, and blood pressure.
After two months from the start of induction of experimental atherosclerosis, pathological changes were noticed in the gross appearance of blood vessels (mainly arteries). There was also concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle. The following chan ges, were produced after one month of cholesterol feading and with continuous administration the changes became more manifested. There were a significant increase in the plasma cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, elevation of the arterial blood pressure.
From our data, we can conclude that, atheromatous plaques in the arterial walls induced by cholesterol feeding is mainly due to hypercholesterolaemia, an increase of plasma cholesterol/ phospholipid ratio.