Abstract

Reserpine (0.1 mg/kg/day) and mecamylamine (0.2 mg/kg/day), administered orally for a period of 10 weeks, significantly reduced elevated serum cholesterol levels and inhibited the development of aortic atheromatosis in normotensive and hypertensive rats maintained on an atherogenic diet. There was no significant disparity in the hypocholesterolemic response of normotensive and hypertensive cholesterol-fed rats; however, blood pressure reduction occurred only in the latter group. The hypertensive state markedly increased the severity of atheromatous lesions in cholesterolized rats which did not receive the depressor drugs.

Although the mechanism of the hypocholesterolemic effect of reserpine and mecamylamine remains to be established, it appears to be independent of their hypotensive activity and not attributable to changes in either the dietary intake, endogenous synthesis or absorption of cholesterol.