Abstract
Forty-two albino mate adult rats treated with 0.5% hydrogen peroxide, 4.69%saturated animal fats and 0.26%cholesterol added to the diet, were used in. this study as experimental and biological model. Their body weights ranged between 250-275g and aged 3-4 months. They were divided into seven groups equal in number and identical weights, The first group considered to be negative control group, second group was the positive control group (standard group), orally treated with 0.57% Flavostatin / Kg, third and fourth groups were orally treated with 300 and 600mg sunflower oil extract/Kg respectively, fifth and six groups were orally treated with 120 and 240mg sunflower water extract/Kg body weight respectively, seven group fed the atherogenic diet containing 10% sunflower cake. All groups were fed atherogenic diet containing saturated animal fats and cholesterol, and given freshly prepared 0.5% H2O2 in drinking water ad libitum. The experimental period was continued for 15 days, in addition to 30 days during which atherosclerosis was induced in rats. Analysis of variance and Duncan multiple tests showed that, the effect of sunflower oil, water extracts and 10% sunflower cake caused significant (p<0.05) decrease in serum TL, TC, TG and the undesirable very low density(VLDL-c), low density (LDL-c) lipoproteins and PL values, atherogenic indices and malondialdehyde levels in Iiver,_ heart and kidney tissues, On the other hand, they caused an increase in the level of the desirable high density lipoprotein (HDL-c). In addition, it caused improvement in the animal nutritional status, so it decreases the amount of diet lipid absorption from intestine.
