Mace-83 extract obtained from seed covering of nutmeg is expected to show an antiarteriosclerotic effect due to its potentiation with unsaturated fatty acid, various vitamins, etc. In this study an effect of Mace-83 was examined from serum lipid and six constituents of thoracic aorta.
A total of 16 male rabbits of 38 months, including 8 with the Mcce-83 (M group), 4 with cholesterol (C group) and 4 with Mace-83 plus cholesterol (MC group) were used. to produce arterosclerosis cholesterol was orally given at 1g to the C and MC group. To the M and MC groups Mace-83 was given at 500mg/day. Sixteen weeks later referring to all the rabbits, total cholesterol (T. CHO), triglyceride (TRIG), β-lipoprotein (β-LIPO), HDL-cholesterol (HDL), 4 in total of serum lipids, were measured. Furthermore, all the rabbits were killed and constituents media of thoracic aorta were stained and observed histochemically, i. e., SMC with Azocarmine G stain, EL with Weigert's stain, CL with Van Gieson's stain, AMPS with Alcian blue stain and GP with PAS stain. T. CHO was 90.5mg/dl in M group, 369.8mg/dl in C group and 81.3mg/dl in MC group respectively. The MC group showed no difference with M group but the significantly lower value than that of C group (p<0.01). TRIG was 108.5mg/dl in M group, 83.3mg/dl in C group and 94.4mg/dl in MC group respectively. No significant difference was observed among these 3 groups. Beta-LIPO was 184.3mg/dl in M group, 995.3mg/dl in C group and 151.5mg/dl in MC group respectively. Compared with C group, M and MC groups showed significantly low value (p<0.001-p<0.01). HDL was 18.9mg/dl in M group, 22.3mg/dl in C group and 26.5mg/dl in MC group respectively. There was no significant difference among those 3 group, although it was highest in MC group. When histochemically observed, C group was strongly disturbed, while MC group showed slight swelling of SMC and cell nucleus that was not remarkable though, and damage of EL and CL was minimal. AMPS and GP remained unchanged. From changes of serum lipid and observation of arterial tissue, it was suggested that Mace-83 has an antisclerotic effect.
