Suppression of atherogenesis in cholesterol-fed rabbit treated with nifedipine.
We tested the effects of nifedipine, a calcium antagonist, on atherogenesis in rabbits fed a 2% cholesterol diet. The drug was given orally, 40 mg/dl, and control rabbits received placebo. Nifedipine was well tolerated, and evoked only transient, moderate reductions in arterial pressure. Plasma total cholesterol after 8 wk before killing the rabbits was similar in the placebo and nifedipine-treated groups, averaging 1,903 +/- 138 (n = 13) and 1,848 +/- 121 mg/dl (n = 13; mean +/- SE; P greater than 0.8). In placebo-treated rabbits, aortic lesions stainable with Sudan IV covered 40 +/- 5% of the intimal surface, and the cholesterol concentration in aortic tissue was 47 +/- 5 mg/g protein. Corresponding values for the aortas from nifedipine-treated rabbits were significantly lower and averaged 17 +/- 3% (P less than 0.001) and 29 +/- 2 mg/g protein (P less than 0.001). We conclude that nifedipine suppressed atherogenesis without reducing hypercholesterolemia.
D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D010919:Placebos; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001798:Blood Proteins; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D010710:Phosphates; D010919:Placebos; D011725:Pyridines; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D009543:Nifedipine; D002118:Calcium