Chromium Chloride Administration Causes a Substantial Reduction of Coronary Lipid Deposits, Aortic Lipid Deposits, and Serum Cholesterol Concentration in Rabbits

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to test the null hypothesis that intramuscular trivalent chromium administration would not remove lipids from the heart and ascending aorta of the hyoercholesterolemic rabbits and would not lower their serum cholesterol levels. A novel computer-based method, previously described, was used to assess the sizes of the intracardiac and aortic lesions. Clinical chemistry and histopathology were performed through routine methods. The sizes of the lipid deposits in the coronary vasculature of the hypercholesterolemic rabbits were greatly reduced as a result of the intramuscular chromium chloride injections. Lipid deposits in the ascending aorta were similarly reduced, as well as the serum cholesterol concentrations. The terminal serum chromium concentrations in the chromium-treated group were in the range of 3,258-4,513 microg/L, whereas, in the untreated animals, the concentrations were 3.2 to 6.3 microg/L. The general condition of the chromium-treated animals was good and they were continuing to gain weight up to the time they were killed. However, it was found that their liver function tests had become abnormal even though there was no evidence of hepatic histopathological lesions specifically affecting the chromium-treated group. The kidney function tests and histopathology were normal. These findings suggest that a more aggressive approach than those tried hitherto might be useful in treating atherosclerotic human patients with chromium.

Oral chromium picolinate impedes hyperglycemia-induced atherosclerosis and inhibits proatherogenic protein TSP-1 expression in STZ-induced type 1 diabetic ApoE−/− mice

“…Previous epidemiological data and animal studies using rabbits have indicated a correlation between Cr3+ intake, incidence of coronary artery disease and serum lipid deposition313539. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have implicated that Cr3+ may lower risks of vascular inflammation under conditions of elevated glucose levels323334.…”

“…Previous studies have also demonstrated that in STZ-induced diabetic Sprague Dawley rats in vivo and glucose-stimulated cultured monocytes in vitro , different Cr3+ formulations reduced lipid peroxidation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion323334. Moreover, in a hypercholesterolemic rabbit model of atherosclerosis, intramuscular administration of chromium chloride (CrCl 3 ) lowered serum cholesterol levels and reduced the size of lipid deposits in coronary and aortic vasculature35. Despite a favorable response to Cr3+ in vascular disease, the precise effect and mechanisms of the nutraceutical CrP in large vessels in the setting of diabetic atherosclerosis has remained elusive.…”

ANGPTL4 May Regulate the Crosstalk Between Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Combined Analysis of Bioinformatics and Rat Models

“…A study has shown that chromium chloride could reduce lipid accumulation and improve insulin sensitivity. 46 , 47 The most notable among these compounds was pepstatin, for which scientific evidence supports its effectiveness as a novel predictive drug for treating both IVDD and T2DM. Among these predictions, pepstatin, for which there is now scientific evidence, supports its effectiveness as a novel therapeutic compound for treating both IVDD and T2DM.…”

Anti‐atherogenic effect of chromium picolinate in streptozotocin‐induced experimental diabetes (在链脲霉素诱导的实验性糖尿病中吡啶甲酸铬的抗动脉粥样硬化作用)

“…Absorption of organic chromium compounds has been reported to be 10‐fold higher than that of inorganic compounds 24,25 . Moreover, CrP supplementation has been reported to produce ameliorating changes in the histopathology of the liver, kidney, and pancreas in diabetes, 26 whereas administration of chromium chloride, an inorganic compound, induces hepatotoxicity in diabetic animals 27 . Therefore, the effects of chromium administration, as CrP, on the lipid profile of STZ‐induced diabetic rats were investigated in the present study.…”