Prevention of cardiovascular complications by nicardipine and cilazapril in diabetic rats

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to evluate the effects of nicardipine (Ca2+ blocker) and cilazapril (ACEI) on diabetic cardiovascular complications. The animals were separated into four groups of controls (n = 6), streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats (n = 6), STZ-rats received daily oral feeding of nicardipine, 10 mg/kg BW (n = 6) or STZ-rats received daily oral feeding of cilazapril, 10 mg/kg BW combined with nicardipine, 10 mg/kg BW (n = 6). By using modified Langendroff method, the values of hemodynamic parameters were monitored for all four groups at 8, 16 and 20 weeks after the STZ-injections. The results showed that coronary flow rate (CFR), left ventricular isotonic contraction (LVIC) of STZ-rats were significantly decreased as compared to control at all three aged groups (P<0.05). Interestingly, the effects of nicardipine and nicardipine combined with cilazapril STZ-rats were significantly increased in cardiovascular parameter as compared to STZ-rats at all three aged groups. Besides the results of morphological examination using light microscope also confirmed the effects of nicardipine or nicardipine combined with cilazapril in STz-rats. Since the thickness of ventricular wall and arterial wall were significantly decreased in both treatments. Therefore, it was concluded that both nicardipine and cilazapril could be benificial as for prevention of diabetic cardiovascular complications.