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Thromb Haemost 1998; 80(04): 696-701
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1615444
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Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Evening Primrose Oil on Vascular Thrombogenesis in Hyperlipemic Rabbits

M. A. Villalobos
a   From the Departments of Anatomy, Málaga, Spain
,
J. P. De La Cruz
b   Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
,
M. Martín-Romero
b   Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
,
J. A. Carmona
a   From the Departments of Anatomy, Málaga, Spain
,
J. M. Smith-Agreda
a   From the Departments of Anatomy, Málaga, Spain
,
Sánchez F. de la Cuesta
b   Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

Received 11 March 1998

Accepted after revision 02 July 1998

Publication Date:
08 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

The dietary intake of saturated fatty acids affects arteriosclerosis. We studied the effect of supplementation (15% wt/wt) of a hyperlipemic diet (1.3% cholesterol) with evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis) in four groups of 10 rabbits each. After 6 weeks the aortic endothelium was analyzed morphologically with scanning electron microscopy, and the arterial wall was studied with morphometric techniques and cell nucleus counts. Endothelial functioning was analyzed by measuring prostacyclin synthesis, and thrombogenicity of the subendothelium was studied by perfusion in a Baumgartner annular chamber. Evening primrose oil reduced hypercholesterolemia (from 29 ± 3 to 12 ± 2 nmol/l), increased HDL-cholesterol (from 0.5 ± 0.06 to 0.8 ± 0.09 nmol/l) and doubled prostacyclin synthesis (from 2.7 ± 2 to 6.2 ± 0.7 ng/mg aorta) in rabbits on the hyperlipemic diet, reduced subendothelial surface occupied by platelets (from 6.9 ± 0.4 to 4.8 ± 0.3%), and reduced human platelet adhesion on the subendothelium (from 53.3 ± 6% to 38 ± 8%, respect to total occupation). Morphological analyses showed that evening primrose oil diminished endothelial lesions caused by the atherogenic diet, reducing area of the arterial wall (from 6.9 ± 0.2 to 4.7 ± 0.2 μm2 × 106) and the degree of neointimal proliferation (from 0.6 ± 0.02 to 0.4 ± 0.09 μm2 × 106). We conclude that in our experimental model, this dietary supplement enhanced the antithrombotic capacity of the endothelium, reduced subendothelial thrombogenicity, and diminished the extent of vascular wall lesions caused by the hyperlipemic diet.

 

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