Abstract: AIM: To study the effects of vitamins on vascular activity elements in rabbits with atherosclerosis risk factors to determine whether vitamins have a role in preventing atherosclerosis.METHODS: 26male Chinese rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups.The first group was fed with normal feed as control group (n=6).The other two groups were fed with normal feed plus cholesterol, lard andmethionine as model group (n=10) and vitamin treatment group (n=10) respectively.In addition, the vitamin group was given multi-vitamin daily by gastrogavage.The experiment lasted for 8 wk.The vascular activity elements of the three groups were detected by radioimmunoassay and nitrate reductase respectively, and the aorta pathological sample was prepared.RESULTS: In model group, the levels of plasma endothelin and thromboxane B₂ 6-keto-prostaglandin F_lαwere significantly increased compared with control group, but serum nitric oxide showed no obvious changes between both groups.In vitamin group, the levels of plasma endothelin and thromboxane B2 were significantly decreased, and the levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1αand nitric oxide were significantly increased compared with model group.In model group, there were significant pathological lesions, but the lesion was decreased by vitamin treatment.CONCLUTION: The vitamins supplement can alleviate or block the impairment of vascular endothelia caused by atherosclerosis risk factors, and help adjust the equilibrium of vascular activity elements.Therefore vitamins may play a positive role in preventing atherosclerosis.

Key words: pharmacodynamics, vitamin, atherosclerosis, endothelium vascular, hyperlipoidemia, hyperhomocysteinemia