Protective effect of policosanol on atherosclerotic lesions in rabbits with exogenous hypercholesterolemia

Policosanol is a mixture of higher aliphatic alcohols purified from sugar c ane wax, with cholesterol-lowering effects demonstrable in experimental mod els and in patients with type LI hypercholesterolemia. The protective effec ts of policosanol on atherosclerotic lesions experimentally induced by lipo fundin in rabbits and rats and spontaneously developed in stumptail monkeys have been described. The present study was conducted to determine whether policosanol administered orally to rabbits with exogenous hypercholesterole mia also protects against the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Male New Zealand rabbits weighing 1.5 to 2 kg were randomly divided into three e xperimental groups which received 25 or 200 mg/kg policosanol (N = 7) orall y for 60 days with acacia gum as vehicle or acacia gum alone (control group , N = 9). All animals received a cholesterol-rich diet (0.5%) during the en tire period. Control animals developed marked hypercholesterolemia, macrosc opic lesions and arterial intimal thickening. Intima thickness was signific antly less (32.5 +/- 7 and 25.4 +/- 4 mu m) in hypercholesterolemic rabbits treated with policosanol than in controls (57.6 +/- 9 mu m). In most polic osanol-treated animals, atherosclerotic lesions were not present, and in ot hers, thickness of fatty streaks had less foam cell layers than in controls . We conclude that policosanol has a protective effect on the atherosclerot ic lesions occurring in this experimental model.