Cod Liver Oil Supplementation Effects on 2,3‐ Diphosphoglyceric Acid Blood Levels in Atherogenic Rabbits

2,3 Diphosphoglyceric Acid (2,3‐DPG) promotes release of oxygen from hemoglobin in the blood of higher animals, and may reduce atherogenic plaque development in hyercholesterolemic rabbits. Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) converts arachidonic acid in cell membranes to Prostaglandin I‐3, which inhibits platelet aggregation and reduces blood clot formation. Atherogenesis and increased blood vascular fibrin clot formation can be induced in rabbits by feeding a diet containing 2% cholesterol for a month. Blood clot formation at the intimal surface in the aorta reduces oxygen availability which leads to lipid infiltration and plaque development. The effect of feeding atherogenic rabbits cod liver oil (CLO) containing 10% EPA, was studied here to determine its effect on blood levels of 2,3 Diphosphoglyceric Acid (2,3‐DPG). For a month, 12 white, New Zealand strain, male rabbits were fed atherogenic diet (AD) of 92% Purina Rabbit Chow(PRC), 6% Corn Oil and 2% Cholesterol. In the next 8 weeks, 6 rabbits were fed a control diet (CD) of PRC and 6 continued to be fed AD. Half of the CD and AD groups receied 0.8ml CLO daily. Blood 2,3‐DPG means after 2 weeks were: 1.51ug/ml in (CD ) vs 1.75 in the (CD + CLO) and 1.39 in ( AD) vs 1.81 in ( AD+ CLO) animals. After 8 weeks the means were 2.12 (CD) vs 2.35 (CD+CLO), and 1.51 (AD) vs 1.82 (AD+ CLO). The ( CD+CLO ) animals had the highest 2,3 DPG levels of all groups and the least aortal lipid infiltration. (AD+CLO) 2,3 DPG levels were significantly higher than in (AD) controls and they had lower lipid infiltration in their aortae. Blood plasma cholesterol levels in the AD groups were significantly lower in the ( AD+CLO ) vs the (AD) control rabbits.