<正>Objective:To explore the roles of persistent systemic inflammation in atherosclerosis and the effects of saponins of Panax Notoginseng（PNS）on this process in rabbits.Methods:Thirty rabbits were divided randomly and equally into 6 groups

i.e.

control

high-fat diet

inflammation

aspirin

PNS and simple-inflammation group.All the animals except that in control group and simple-inflammation group were fed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks.Based on that

rabbits in inflammation

aspirin and PNS groups were treated with zymosan injection（10 mg/kg

i.p.）.Normal saline was given to rabbits in control group.Besides zymosan injection

animals in aspirin and PNS group were administrated with aspirin（12 mg/kg

i.g.）and PNS（120 mg/kg

i.g.）respectively.The animals in simple-inflammation group were treated with zymosan injection（10mg/kg

i.p.）and fed with normal diet.The atherosclerosis lesion in aortas was observed by SudanⅣstaining.Serum total cholesterol

triglyceride（TG）

TNF-αand activity of post-heparin lipoprotein lipase（LPL）were measured at the end of the 4th and 8th week after an overnight fast.Results:Compared with high-fat diet group

the area of atherosclerosis lesion

serum TG and TNF-αwere markedly increased in rabbits of inflammation group

and the activity of LPL was decreased remarkably.Serum TNF-αlevel was negatively correlated with the activity of post-heparin LPL（r=-0.708

P<0.01）.The area of atherosclerosis

serum TG and TNF-αwere decreased in aspirin and PNS group compared with that in inflammation group

and the activity of LPL was increased remarkably.Compared with control group

serum TG and TNF-αwere markedly increased in simple-inflammation group

while LPL activity was decreased.Atherosclerotic lesion did not occur in simple-inflammation group. Conclusion:Persistent systemic inflammation could accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis lesion in aortas

which partly depend on the decreasing of the activity of post-heparin lipoprotein lipase.PNS could improve the changes caused by inflammation.