Figure 2. Changes in postprandial lipoproteins in rats after gavage administration of fat in the form of virgin olive oil.

After a 16-h fast, male rats were subjected to oral gavage with virgin olive oil (16 ml kg⁻¹). Plasma lipoproteins were separated by FPLC and collected fractions analyzed for APOA1 (A), APOA4 (B), total cholesterol (C), esterified cholesterol (D), phosphatidylcholine (E) and sphingomyelin (F). A representative profile of one animal is shown. Fraction numbers 1–6 corresponded to VLDL/chylomicron remnants, 7–13 to low density lipoproteins, 14–18 to cholesterol-rich HDL and 19–24 to cholesterol-poor HDL.