NIFEDIPINE INHIBITS ACCUMULATION OF LDL AND CHOLESTEROL IN THE AORTA OF THE NORMOCHOLESTEROLEMIC RABBIT

The effect of 5 days of oral nifedipine treatment (almost-equal-to mg/kg per day in drinking water) on low density lipoprotein (LDL) and cholesterol accumulation in rabbit arteries was determined. Compared with control aortas, nifedipine treatment (n=5) significantly reduced homologous I-125-tyramine cellobiose-LDL accumulation (control versus nifedipine: 45.93+/-4.3 versus 20.14+/-3.1 ng LDL per milligram dry weight X 10(-3), p=0.001) while the reduction of human LDL accumulation (n=5) was not significant (49.1+/-6.1 versus 35.5+/-4.1 ng LDL per milligram dry weight X 10(-3). Aortic accumulation of orally administered [H-3]cholesterol was also inhibited by nifedipine (352+/-34 versus 257+/-16 ng cholesterol per milligram dry weight X 10(-3), n=10, p=0.022). These findings suggest a possible mechanism for the antiatherosclerotic effect of nifedipine.