Antiatherogenic effect of captopril in the Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbit.
The effects of 9 months of orally administered captopril (25-50 mg/kg body wt/day) on aortic atherosclerosis was examined in normotensive Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits. Captopril caused a significant decrease in aortic atherosclerosis. Total aortic surface involvement by lesions was reduced from 48 +/- 3.6% in control Watanabe rabbits to 30 +/- 3.9% with captopril treatment (p less than 0.01). Most of the decrease could be accounted for by a marked reduction in atherosclerosis of descending thoracic aortas from 49 +/- 5.2% to 15 +/- 3.9% in control and captopril-related groups, respectively (p less than 0.001). Significant decrease in cholesterol content of descending thoracic aorta was also observed in captopril-treated rabbits. Microscopic examination of the arterial lesions in captopril-treated animals suggested a relative decrease in cellularity and increase in extracellular matrix as compared with untreated animals. These studies indicate that captopril has a potent antiatherosclerotic action in the Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbit.
Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts.
A V
AV
Chobanian
C C
CC
Haudenschild
C
C
Nickerson
R
R
Drago
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002216:Captopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits
D002784:Cholesterol; D002216:Captopril