Histopathological and Immunohistochemical studies of the effects of flaxseed in atherosclerosis of rabbits submitted to hypercholesterolemic diet with lyophilized egg to 0.5%

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of flaxseed in atherogenesis on rabbits submitted to a hypercholesterolemic diet to 0,5% of cholesterol. Methods: The experiment lasted eight weeks and 32 male New Zealand rabbits were randomized into three groups (G1=11, G2=10 and G3=11). All of them received, during the trial period, the diet Nuvilab® increased with 0.5% cholesterol from lyophilized egg. From the 5th to 8th week, in the G2, was added in the hypercholesterolemic diet 8g/kg of crushed flaxseed, totaling an average of 30g/day. The same amount of crushed flaxseed was added since the beginning of the experiment to G3. Blood samples were collected in the beginning and end of the study to analyze total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and triglycerides. The euthanasia was performed on the sixty-fifth day to remove the aorta. Despite the increase in TC and LDL-C that occurred in the three experimental groups, it was statistically lower in G3. Morphometric analysis of the intima layer showed a statistically significant difference between groups (p=0.030). Results: There was no statistical evidence in immunohistochemical analysis of inflammatory markers. Conclusion: The consumption of crushed flaxseed showed anti-atherogenic effects on the intimal thickening.