Preventive effects of elaszym on malondialdehyde-induced arterial lesions in chickens

Thirty-nine hens, 3 weeks of age, were divided into 6 groups with different treatment as follows ; group A with corn oil injection, group B with corn oil injection and cholesterol feeding, group C with injection of a malondialdehyde solution, group D with injection of malondialdehyde solution and administration of elaszym, group E with injection of malondialdehyde solution and cholesterol feeding and group F with injection of malondialdehyde solution, cholesterol feeding and administration of elaszym. Corn oil and 50% malondialdehyde in corn oil were subcutaneously injected at respective doses of 0.5 and 1ml per kg body weight 12 times for 4 weeks. A diet containing 1% cholesterol without supplementary fat was fed adlibitum. Elaszym was orally administered daily at a dose of 1,500 EU per Kg body weight. A slight increase of plasma cholesterol was seen in group B. A small number of degenerate cells were seen in groups A and B. The plasma malondialdehyde levels were markedly increased in groups C and E. The result of malondialdehyde injection was a significant increase in the number of degenerate cells without stainable lipid in the abdominal aorta from group C. The feeding of a cholesterol-containing diet in combination with molon-dialdehyde injection produced numerous degenerate cells with or without stainable lipid in the abdominal aorta from group E. The administration of elaszym decreased the tissue level of malondialdehyde and the frequency of degenerate cells with or without stainable lipid in the abdominal aortas from groups D and F.