| Abstract: | The effect of lard and sunflower oil making part of a cirrhogenic ration with a high content of fat and deficient protein and choline on the level of total and esterified cholesterol and phospholipids in the blood serum and liver was studied. The experiments lasted for 150 and 210-240 days. Changes in the level of cholesterol and phospholipids in the blood serum and liver of the rats were noted to occur from the first days of developing fat dystrophy (fatty degeneration) of the liver, these changes gaining in intensity with lengthening of the test periods and progressive development of the pathological process. The quality of the fat influenced the extent of the upset cholesterol and phospholipids metabolism, since the saturated fat which accelerated and intensified the development of lipohepatosis and cirrhosis caused a significantly greater accumulation of the cholesterol ethers in the liver and reduction of these ethers, as well as of phospholipids in the serum. An addition of choline to the rations prevented the development of lipohepatosis, but failed to avert upsets of the lipids metabolism. |
