Glunicate is evaluated compared to
nicotinic acid for effects on aortic atheromatous lesions,
lipid parameters and factors involved in
thrombosis and haemostasis in rabbits kept on a high-
cholesterol diet for 12 weeks, using 2 doses of
glunicate (0.17 and 0.69 g/day) and 1 of
nicotinic acid (0.6 g/day).
Glunicate afforded dose-dependent protection of the arterial wall from atheromatous lesions and from
cholesterol and
collagen accumulation, while
nicotinic acid hardly had any effect. These effects were completely independent of plasma
lipid-lowering action, the plasma levels of all
lipids being indistinguishable in all
cholesterol-fed groups. In addition to inducing the expected changes in the
lipid pattern, the atherogenic diet increased platelet aggregation in response to
collagen but not to
ADP, prolonged the APTT and lowered the plasma
fibrinogen levels. Both
glunicate and
nicotinic acid counteracted the effects of the diet on platelet aggregation and on APTT, but only
glunicate normalised the
fibrinogen levels. There was no change in PT or in
prostacyclin-like activity release from the mesenteric artery after the diet or diet plus drugs.