Effects of captopril on atherosclerosis in cynomolgus monkeys

A study was performed to investigate if oral dosing of captopril could influence the development of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed cynomolgus monkeys. Twenty-four monkeys were divided into four groups: (a) a control group given a normal monkey diet and placebo medication; (b) a high cholesterol group given a high cholesterol diet and placebo medication; (c) a low-dose captopril group given the cholesterol diet and 25 mg/kg of captopril twice daily; and (d) a high-dose captopril group given the cholesterol diet and 50 mg/kg of captopril twice daily. The doses of captopril used in this study did not change the levels of total serum cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or triglycerides. The total cholesterol/HDL ratio was also unaffected by captopril. The animals were killed after 6 months of treatment. The progression of atherosclerosis was assessed by gross pathology, histopathology, and biochemical methods. The results showed a significantly reduced progression of arterial lesions in monkeys given captopril; the effects of captopril were most evident in the coronary arteries, which were practically free from atherosclerosis in captopril-treated animals.