title: Protective effects of certoparin sodium, a low molecular weight heparin derivative, in experimental atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association of atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia is well known. Hypercholesterolemic diet-induced atherogenesis is a widely accepted experimental model that is amenable to exploration of both the disease as well as therapeutic interventions. We evaluated the role of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in modulating the early biochemical changes in atherogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats (140 +/- 10 g) were fed an atherogenic diet comprising of normal rat chow supplemented with 4% cholesterol, 1% cholic acid and 0.5% thiouracil (CCT diet) for 2 weeks. While one of the CCT diet-fed group served as the untreated pathologic model, the other group received LMWH (Certoparin sodium, Troparin; 300 microg/day/rat s.c.) treatment, commencing on day 8 and continued for 1 week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decreased concentrations of serum albumin and increased serum urea, uric acid and creatinine concentrations were normalized by LMWH treatment. The atherogenic diet induced abnormal rise in the activities of lactate dehydrogenase, aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase, as well as the high serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were restored to near control values in the treated group. LMWH administration prevented the hypertrophic cardiac histology and fatty changes in the liver in early atherogenesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study encapsulates the early cellular abnormalities in the heart, liver and kidney tissues of atherogenic diet fed rats. Treatment with LMWH affords considerable protection to the tissues challenged by hypercholesterolemia, evidenced by its correction of lipemia and restoration of serum and tissue indices of injury, to normalcy. LMWH intervention minimized the atherogenic diet-induced histopathological lesions in heart, liver and kidney tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dr. A.L. Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600 113, India.
authors.forename: Perinkulam Ravi
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Deepa
authors.forename: Palaninathan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varalakshmi
mesh_terms: D000417:Albinism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003401:Creatine / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014527:Uric Acid; D014508:Urea; D002784:Cholesterol; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D000637:Transaminases; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D003401:Creatine; C403769:certoparin