The baboon in atherosclerosis research: comparison with other species and use in testing drugs affecting lipid metabolism.

Despite the deomnstration of spontaneous atherosclerosis in the wild state, the baboon is not the best species for the production of atherosclerosis experimentally since it develops only a mild hypercholesterolaemia when fed cholesterol. Nevertheless, it is useful for the study of mild lipid deposition in the aorta and the effect of drugs thereon, particularly if protein antigens are also employed in addition. For studies of the hypocholesterolaemic effect of potential therapeutic compounds in man, the baboon fed a high protein commercial diet, with and without cholesterol, is a useful second species to smaller laboratory animals.