Effect of different levels of dietary .ALPHA.-tocopherol and linoleate on plasma and liver lipids in rats.

Abstract

The influences of dietary .alpha.-tocopherol, in combination with 3 different levels of linoleate (low, moderate or high levels), on the concentrations of plasma and liver lipids in rats were examined. Male Wistar rats were fed diets ad lib for 2 wk. dl-.alpha.-Tocopheryl acetate was added to the diets in 0, 20 or 200 mg tocopherol/100 g diet. Higher dietary levels of .alpha.-tocopherol tended to cause higher plasma lipid levels in proportion to the amounts added. This phenomenon was most remarkable in rats fed a diet containing cholesterol and low linoleate (0.8% of calorie). The concentrations of plasma lipids were influenced more significantly than those of liver lipids by the levels of .alpha.-tocopherol under the conditions of this experiment.