The effect of fish oil on atherogenesis and thrombopoiesis in rabbits on high cholesterol diet.

The effect of fish oil supplementation on atherogenesis and thrombopoiesis was investigated in rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet for 7 weeks. There was no statistically significant difference between the area of lipid accumulation in the aorta of the animals fed fish oil and the control animals. There was no statistically significant difference in platelet count, mean platelet volume, megakarycoyte DNA content or serum cholesterol between the two groups. Serum triglyceride was significantly higher in the fish oil group than in the controls (p less than 0.035). Fish oil supplementation does not change atherogenesis or thrombopoiesis in the cholesterol fed rabbit.