[Effect of nicardipine on cholesterol-fed S.H.R]

The effect of nicardipine on experimental hyperlipemia induced by a 1% cholesterol diet in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) was investigated by the change of hemodynamics and the determination of lipid contents of the serum, liver, heart and aorta. Nicardipine increased liver weight and liver weight per body weight ratio, and it decreased heart and kidney weight significantly. Nicardipine inhibited the increase in blood pressure with cholesterol and normal diets. Nicardipine decreased heart rate in SHR fed the normal diet, and it inhibited the increase in heart rate in SHR fed the cholesterol diet. Serum lipid levels significantly increased with the cholesterol diet. Nicardipine significantly increased cholesterol in high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and phospholipid in HDL (HDL-PL) with cholesterol and normal diets, and it decreased triglyceride and improved the atherogenic index "(total cholesterol-HDL-C)/HDL-C" with the normal diet. Serum GOT and GPT significantly increased with the cholesterol diet. Nicardipine significantly enhanced an increase in GOT and GPT levels with the cholesterol diet. Nicardipine increased phospholipid content in the liver, triglyceride in the heart, and it decreased total cholesterol in the aorta. A morphologic study showed a fatty liver in SHR fed the cholesterol diet, but nicardipine had no effect on the morphological changes in the liver, heart and aorta. These results suggest that nicardipine may prevent atherosclerotic degeneration by the inhibition of hypertension, increase in serum HDL and decrease in total cholesterol in the aorta.