Lacidipine reduces high blood pressure and the target organ damage inducedby high fructose diet in rats

Objective Normotensive rats fed a high fructose diet (HFD) develop hypertri glyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia and hypertension. The glomerular changes obs erved in the kidneys of these animals are similar to those observed in diab etic rats. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether lacidipine could b e effective not only in preventing, but also in inducing the regression of hypertension, and renal and cardiac damage in rats fed HFD. Methods Thirty male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats received HFD for 1 month; there after, five rats were sacrificed (Group 1)and the other 25 rats were divide d into three groups: Group 2 (five rats) received HFD plus placebo, Group 3 (10 rats) HFD plus lacidipine 3 mg/kg per day, and Group 4 (10 rats) HFD p lus hydralazine 10 mg/kg per day. At the end of the second month all animal s were sacrificed. Kidneys and hearts were immediately removed, Renal depos its of collagen I, collagen IV, fibronectin and cardiac deposits of collage n III were assessed by means of immunohistochemistry. Results In the rats receiving HFD plus placebo, blood pressure was increase d after the first and the second month of diet. This increase was reversed by lacidipine and hydralazine but, although both drugs normalized blood pre ssure, only lacidipine was effective in reducing renal and cardiac damage. Conclusions These data suggest that lacidipine is effective in reversing hy pertension and reducing target organ damage induced by HFD. Moreover, this protective effect on target organs appears to be not simply a consequence o f blood pressure reduction, but seems to be connected to the type of hypote nsive drug administered. J Hypertens 1999, 17:965-971 (C) Lippincott Willia ms & Wilkins.