ANGIOTOXICITY AND ARTERIOSCLEROSIS DUE TO CONTAMINANTS OF USP-GRADE CHOLESTEROL

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 100  (11) , 565-572
Abstract
Impurities were concentrated from several lots of cholesterol by recrystallizing cholesterol from methanol solution, retaining the mother liquor and evaporating the residuum to dryness under vacuum. This concentrate contained the products of spontaneous oxidation of cholesterol and other contaminants from the original source. The concentrate increased the frequency of dead aortic smooth muscle cells and induced focal intimal edema in the rabbit 24 h after gavage at 250 mg/kg. New or old cholesterol was similarly angiotoxic, the old more so than the new. Cholesterol purified via dibromination induced an increase in aggregate debris in 24 h at 250 mg/kg but no increase in degenerated cells. The concentrate administered at a total dose of 1 g/kg for 7 wk induced intimal, diffuse fibrous lesions without foam cells or hypercholesterolemia. Purified cholesterol at the same dose produced no effect. [Studies with dietary cholesterol are discussed.].