M. Noa et al., A comparative study of policosanol vs lovastatin on intimal thickening in rabbit cuffed carotid artery, PHARMAC RES, 43(1), 2001, pp. 31-37
Policosanol is a cholesterol-lowering drug isolated from sugar cane wax, wh
ich acts by inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis. Previous studies have demo
nstrated that policosanol inhibited smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation
in the cuffed carotid artery of the rabbit and in arterial wall damage indu
ced by forceps in the central artery of the ear of rabbits. The present stu
dy was undertaken to compare the effects of policosanol and lovastatin on S
MC proliferation in the cuffed carotid artery of rabbits. Collars were plac
ed around the left carotid for 7 and 15 days. The contralateral artery was
sham operated. We studied eight experimental groups: two controls groups re
ceiving vehicle for 7 and 15 days, respectively, a satellite sham operated
control group, four groups treated with policosanol at 5 and 25 mg kg(-1) f
or 7 and 15 days and a reference group receiving lovastatin at 20 mg kg(-1)
for 15 days. Samples of arteries were examined by light and electron micro
scopy. To evaluate intimal thickening the cross-sectional areas of intima a
nd media were measured. Neointima was significantly reduced in treated anim
als compared with controls, but the reduction in lovastatin animals was sig
nificantly lower than in policosanol-treated groups. The SMC proliferation
was studied by the immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nucl
ear antigen and the reduction observed in policosanol-treated rabbits was s
ignificantly larger than in lovastatin-treated animals. It is concluded tha
t the protective effect of policosanol against neointima formation in this
experimental model was slightly better than that of lovastatin. (C) 2001 Ac
ademic Press.