Glucosamine and experimental atherosclerosis. Increased wet weight and changed composition of cholesterol fatty acids in aorta of rabbits fed a cholesterol-enriched diet with added glucosamine.

Three groups of each 12 rabbits were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet. Glucosamine was added in amounts of 0.5% and 2.0% (w/w) to the diet of two of the groups, while the third group served as a control group. The amount of cholesterol in the diet was individually adjusted, so that all rabbits experimental period. Glucosamine did not affect the concentration response of serum cholesterol to dietary cholesterol or the amount of free and esterified cholesterol in the inner aorta. It did, however, cause an increase in the wet weight of the inner aorta with a corresponding decrease in the concentration of aortic cholesterol. Furthermore a decrease in the ratio between mono-unsaturated and di-unsaturated fatty acids of the cholesterol esters of serum and inner aorta were observed in the animals which received glucosamine.