The effect of
trapidil on experimental
hyperlipemia and
atherosclerosis induced by 1%
cholesterol diet in SPF male rabbits (JW/KBL) was investigated by the determination of the
lipid contents of the plasma and thoracic aorta and examination of morphological changes in the aorta.
Trapidil inhibited the increase of total
lipid (TL), total
cholesterol (TC), free
cholesterol (FC) and
phospholipid (PL) by the
cholesterol diet in all groups. The level of
cholesterol (HDL-C) and
phospholipid (HDL-PL) in
high density lipoprotein (HDL) remained unchanged after the
cholesterol diet and
trapidil administration. The atherogenic index (TC-HDL-C/HDL-C, PL-HDL-PL/HDL-PL) was improved by the inhibition of TC and PL by the administration of
trapidil. A morphological study of the aorta showed that
trapidil inhibited
lipid deposition. A microscopic observation of the intima by
Sudan III stain showed that inhibition of
lipid deposition corresponded with the quantity of
trapidil administration. An observation of aorta using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that
trapidil inhibited the presence of form cells due to HCD. This inhibition corresponded with the quantity of
trapidil administration; and no form cells were seen in the 50 mg/kg-administered group. An observation of intima using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that
trapidil inhibited the irregularly elevated regions by HCD. The structure of intima in the 50 mg/kg-administered group was similar to that of the control groups. The observation of the head angiogram showed that
trapidil improved the
stenosis in the lingual and temporal arteries which was caused by HCD.