We studied the effect of
cod-liver oil on the development and progression of
coronary artery disease in swine subjected to coronary balloon abrasion and fed an atherogenic diet for eight months. Sections from serial 3-mm segments of the coronary arteries were analyzed morphometrically in 7 pigs given a
cod-liver-oil supplement and 11 control animals not given the supplement. Significantly less disease was seen in the sections from the animals fed
cod-liver oil. The mean lesion area per vessel, mean
luminal encroachment per vessel, and mean maximal
luminal encroachment per vessel were reduced in animals fed
cod-liver oil, as compared with controls, (P = 0.05, P = 0.016, and P = 0.011, respectively). Both groups of animals had severe
hyperlipidemia throughout the study. Differences in the extent of
coronary atherosclerosis were not related to differences in plasma
lipid levels. Platelet arachidonate was markedly reduced, platelet
eicosapentaenoic acid was increased, and serum
thromboxane was decreased in the oil-fed group as compared with the control group. We conclude that in our animal mode, dietary
cod-liver oil retarded the development of
coronary artery disease, possibly through changes in
prostaglandin metabolism.