title: [Inhibitory effects of aspirin, clopidogrel, and their combination on the progression of atherosclerosis in rabbits].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of aspirin, clopidogrel, and their combination on the progression of aortic atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine male rabbits were randomly divided into five groups. One group of control rabbits (group N, n=9) was fed on normal diets. Four other groups were fed on high cholesterol diets and injected with 10% albumin bovine received no drug therapy (group M, n=10), aspirin (group A, n=10), clopidogrel (group C, n=10), or the combination (aspirin+clopidogrel, group B, n=10) for 12 weeks. Serum lipids and C-reactive protein (CRP) were detected. The aortas were harvested for histomorphometry and quantitative analysis. The positive percentage of macrophage cells and smooth muscle cells in the plaque were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These antiplatelet drugs significantly reduced the extent of atherosclerosis. Aortic vascular lesions of group A, C, and B showed 28.70%, 28.82%, and 57.69% of reduction in the amount of macrophage cells, and 39.86%, 42.60%, and 100.70% of increase in smooth muscle cells. No significant differences existed between group A and group C. However, the combination of aspirin and clopidogrel had better effect than aspirin or clopidogrel alone. Meanwhile, aspirin, clopidogrel, and their combination also decreased serum CRP (P < 0.05-0.01), without affecting lipid levels. There was a trend, not significantly, to lower serum C-reactive protein in group B compared with group A or group C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aspirin and clopidogrel inhibit neointimal proliferation and prevent the development of atherosclerosis with equivalent effects. Their combination shows synergic effects.
authors.affiliation: Center of Coronary Heart Disease, Fuwai Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing, China. gubright831@sohu.com
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Ji-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ying-mao
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ruan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin