Effect of dried, powdered Chlorella vulgaris on experimental atherosclerosis and alimentary hypercholesterolemia in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

The anti-lipidemic action and anti-atherosclerotic action of dried, powdered Chlorella vulgaris (CVP) were investigated using male Japanese White rabbits. A ten-week load of high-cholesterol diet remarkably increased serum total cholesterol and the beta-lipoprotein cholesterol levels in serum, causing aortic atheromatous lesion. In the Chlorella group which was administered a high-cholesterol diet containing 1% powdered Chlorella vulgaris, increase of total and beta-lipoprotein cholesterol level was suppressed. Further, the development of aortic atheromatous lesions was significantly inhibited. Clofibrate used as positive control in this experiment, did not show any inhibitory effect, either on the increase in serum lipid level or on the development of aortic atheromatous lesion.