Inhibition of cholesterol-induced vascular lesions by dietary reserpine

Rabbits fed a diet containing 4 % cholesterol developed fatty aortic intimas and myocardiums in seven weeks. By ten weeks the fat had increased. When animals were given the same diet plus 0.2 mg/100 g reserpine the fatty deposits were smaller. Food consumption and body weight changes for the two experimental groups and for control animals did not differ greatly. In the reserpine group blood pressure was lower than controls throughout the experiment, while in the cholesterol group it was lower during the first and last thirds of the experiment. Tissue calcium content in the aortae of the reserpine group was significantly lower than in control animals. In the cholesterol group calcium was lower but not significantly so. The effect of reserpine may be due either to its hypotensive effect or to its lowering of the calcium content of the aortae.