THE EFFECT OF TOTAL ALKALOIDS FROM ERVATAMIN HAINANENSIS TSIANG ON EXPERIMENTAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN RABBITS

The effect of the total alkaloid obtained from the root of Ervatamin hainanensis Tsiang on experimental atherosclerosis as well as serum, aorta and liver, lipid levels in rabbits were studied.Rabbits in which atherosclerosis had been produced by cholesterol feeding were fed cholesterol diet together with the total alkaloid at a dosage of 60mg/kg/day for 8 weeks and this was compared with the controt group Without feeding the total alkaloid The results showed that the total alkaloid coused marked decrease of the serum level of total chorlesterol and triglyceride, and increased significantly the content of HDL cholesterol in Serum and the ratio of free cholesterol/ester cholesterol in serum and aorta, in both nomal and cholesterol diet groups. It was also noticed that the content of cholesterol and the degree of development of atherosclerosis in aorta were redused.The total alkaloid Showed no significant effect on the content of liver lipids.