Preventive effect of gliclazide on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits.

Administration of a hypoglycaemic sulphonamide, gliclazide, at 10 mg/kg/day p.o. to rabbits for 60 days did not affect the development of plasma lipid disturbances induced by a high cholesterol diet. The accumulation of cholesterol in the liver was significantly reduced by up to 34% when compared with animals on the high cholesterol diet. The high concentrations of glycerides and fatty acids in the aorta were significantly decreased towards normal values and histology showed that the gliclazide strongly inhibited the development of aortic and particularly coronary lesions induced by the atherogenic diet. A normal appearance of coronary arteries was noted in more than 50% of cases.