EFFECT OF EVENING PRIMROSE OIL ON PLATELET AGGREGATION IN RABBITS FED AN ATHEROGENIC DIET

Abstract

Evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis) is a rich source of ω-6 series fatty acids. We report here the effects of dietary supplementation with evening primrose oil (EPO) on platelet aggregation as the main factor in arterial thrombus formation in an experimental model of atherogenesis in rabbits. A total of 40 male white New Zealand rabbits were divided into four groups (n=10 animals/group): 1: normal diet, 2: atherogenic diet (ATD), 3: normal diet enriched with 15% EPO, 4: ATD + EPO. Each group was kept on the diet for 6 weeks. We determined serum lipid profile, platelet aggregation in whole blood, platelet thromboxane B2 production and platelet lipid peroxides. The atherogenic diet increased platelet aggregation (135% when ADP was used, and 185% when collagen was used as the inducer). Evening primrose oil reduced hyperaggregation to the values obtained in rabbits fed with the normal diet. Thromboxane synthesis was increased from 0.18 to 2.28 nmol/109 platelets); EPO reduced this value to 1.38 nmol/109 platelets. Lipid peroxides were increased by ATD from 0.27 to 0.81 nmol/108 platelets; EPO prevented this increase (0.35 nmol/108 platelets). In conclusion, EPO reduced platelet hyperaggregability in rabbits fed an atherogenic diet. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd