Effects of resveratrol on hypercholesterolemic rabbit smooth muscle

SUMMARYEFFECTS OF RESVERATROL ON HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMİC RABBİTSMOOTH MUSCLEDr. Burak Cem Soner. Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of medicine, Departmentof pharmacology. 35340 Balcova-Izmir. cem.soner@deu.edu.trOBJECTIVEThe risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and erectile dysfunction (ED)are similar. In our study; we aimed to study and compare the protective effects ofresveratrol in hypercholesterolemia on thoracic aorta (TA), mesenteric artery (MA),renal artery (RA) and corpus cavernosum (CC).MATERIAL AND METHODSAnimals fed a %2 a/a cholesterol diet and %2 a/a high cholesteroldiet+resveratrol (4 mg/kg/day) for 6 week duration. Total cholesterol levels in theplasma were measured after the cholesterol challenge. Vascular and endothelialfunctions in RA, TA, MA and CC were assessed by isolated tissue bath withcumulative doses of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside.RESULTSEven there have been no significant changes on plasma total cholesterol levelsbetween cholesterol and cholesterol+resveratrol treated groups; both groups showedsignificant changes when compared with control group. Vasorelaxation responses toACh in resveratrol treated group showed significant changes when compared withhypercholesterolemia and control group. No statistically significant differences wereseen between endothelium independent vasorelaxation responses between threegroups. %2 a/a cholesterol diet for 6 weeks has diminished endothelium dependentvasorelaxation responses mostly on MA>CC>TA>RA respectively. Resveratrol hasproved endothelial responses when given with %2 a/a cholesterol for 6 weeks. Theprotective effect of resveratrol was seen most on MA>RA>KK>TA respectively.7CONCLUSIONThe results also provide support that 4mg/kg/day resveratrol can suppressendothelial dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Resveratrol is showing thisprotective effect without changing plasma total cholesterol levels. Further studies willshow the mechanism of this protective effect on endothelial dysfunction.KEY WORDSResveratrol, endothelial dysfunction, hypercholesterolemia, corpus cavernosum8