Role of Reticulo-Endothelial System and Disposition of Dietary Cholesterol in Various Mammalian Species.

Abstract

India ink was given intravenously twice daily (in doses of 0.5 cc. of 20% dilution) for 2 days to each of 13 rats also receiving 3 ml. of olive oil and 100 mg. of cholesterol; a control series of 15 rats received the same dietary, but no ink. The avg. plasma cholesterol of the ink group rose from 52 mg. % before the expt. to 100 mg. % at 48 hours afterward. The corresponding values for the control group were 49 and 64 mg. %, respectively. When groups of 8 rabbits were used on a similar regime, the ink group rose from 73 to 316 mg. per cent, the control group from 53 to 204 mg. %. Similar, but less marked, results were obtained with 2 groups of 8 dogs.