HISTOPATHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION ON SALT-LOADED STROKE-PRONE SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS, WHOSE BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF RENAL DYSFUNCTION WERE AMELIORATED BY ADMINISTRATION OF IMIDAPRIL

Our previous studies showed that imidapril prevented the occurrence of cerebral stroke and ameliorated biochemical parameter changes of rena l dysfunction at a dose that did not inhibit the progression of hypert ension in salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SH RSP). To confirm these findings, a histopathological investigation was conducted on the kidney of salt-loaded (from 11 to 16 weeks of age) S HRSP, which was the subject of the preceding study. Their brains and h earts were also examined. Histopathologically, renal lesions such as f ibrinoid necrosis and proliferative arteritis of small calibration art eries, necrotizing glomerulitis and tubular degeneration, and cerebral hemorrhage and slight cardial hypertrophy were observed in salt-loade d control SHRSP. The occurrence of these lesions were prevented in a d ose-dependent manner by the administration of imidapril (1 and 2 mg/kg /day). Especially, the preventive effects on the renal lesions were ap parently noted. Enalapril also prevented these renal lesions, but its preventive effects were weaker than those of imidapril at the same dos e (2 mg/kg/day). It became evident from the results of the present and previous studies that imidapril reduced renal biochemical and histopa thological injuries.