Experimental Arteriosclerosis: Inhibitory Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Inositol

Summary 1. Combined injections of epinephrine and thyroxine were used to produce, in rabbits, aortic sclerosis which was characterized by lack of atheroma, and the presence of severe medial and intimal sclerosis. 2. 90% of all the control animals developed aortic sclerosis when treated with epinephrine and thyroxine. 3. Massive doses of inositol appeared to inhibit the influence and severity of these lesions, to only a slight degree. 4. Daily concomitant administration of 50 mg of ascorbic acid lowered the incidence of scleroses to 66%; 100 mg lowered the incidence to 61%; 500 mg lowered it to 55%. The severity of the lesions produced was also considerably lessened. The inhibition due to ascorbic acid was statistically significant.