Effects of nicardipine on lipid peroxidation in rabbits given 2% cholesterol diet.
Nicardipine has been shown to have an anti-atherogenic effect in rabbits given a 2% cholesterol diet. Current evidence suggests that lipid peroxidation plays an important role in atherogenesis. This study examines the effect of nicardipine on lipid peroxidation in rabbits given a 2% cholesterol diet, 8 of these rabbits given nicardipine 0.5 mg/kg twice daily intramuscularly for ten weeks while the remaining untreated 6 were controls. After ten weeks, serum malondialdehyde in the control group was significantly higher compared to their baseline levels (P < 0.05). However, there was no increase in serum malondialdehyde in the nicardipine group after 10 weeks. The area of Sudan IV positive intimal lesions (atherosclerotic plaques) were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in the treated group compared to the control group. The aortic tissue content of cholesterol and diene conjugates were also decreased in the nicardipine group (P < 0.01). These findings suggest a possible link between nicardipine and lipid peroxidation in mediating its antiatherogenic effects.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
N M
NM
Ismail
K
K
Jaarin
S K
SK
Vasudevan
S
S
Hashim
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002784:Cholesterol; D009529:Nicardipine