Abstract
Vitamins are co-enzymes involved in carbohydrate or lipid metabolisms. Some vitamins or their derivatives have lipid-lowering effect; VB5 (nicotinicacid), VB2 (riboflavin) VB3 (pantethine). Double Blind tests for there drugs show 10-15% reduction of total cholesterol and 5-30% reduction of triglyceride. Another expected advantages of these vitamines are anti-atherosclerotic action not only through their own properies, but also through another actions. Nicotinic acid derivatives enhanced lipoprotein lipase activity, and acid cholesterol esterase activity in the arterial wall. Pantethine prevented the cell necrosis, probably by protecting the mitochondrial swelling induced by fatty acids. α-Tocopherol, anti-oxidant stabilized the membrane bound enzyme activity, e. g. acid cholesterol esterase by fascilitating the binding of the enzyme to lysosomal membrane. These actions in addition to their own properties may contribute to the anti-atherosclerotic action.
