A Study of the Hypocholesterolemic Activity of the Ethyl Esters of the Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids of Cod Liver Oil in the Chicken

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Abstract
The polyunsaturated fatty acid esters of cod liver oil or menhaden oil were fed to both hypercholesterolemic and normocholesterolemic chickens. Serum phospholipid and serum, adrenal, abdominal aorta, and intestinal wall cholesterol concentrations were lowered in the hypercholesterolemic chicks. Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and liver, spleen, brain, and thoracic aorta cholesterol concentrations did not differ from the values obtained in birds fed the basal diet. Only serum phospholipid and cholesterol were reduced in normocholesterolemic birds fed the fatty esters. The incidence of atherosclerosis in the aortic and coronary vessels of birds fed the polyunsaturated fatty acid esters, did not differ from their respective controls. The hypocholesterolemic effect of the polyunsaturated fatty esters was observed in 90-day-old chicks; however, after 400 days the effect was not seen.