The Effects of an Antihypertensive Drug Combination on Experimentally-Induced Hypertension in Rats

Abstract

Rats were rendered hypertensive by the Grollman technique; 2 days following the second operation (contralateral nephrectomy) half of them were given DCR 515, (Briserin®, a Clopamide-Dihydroergoergocristine-Reserpine combination), mixed in their feed for 15 weeks at a mean dose of approximately 10 mg/kg/day. Parameters studied were survival time, systolic blood pressure, the severity of microscopic coronary arterial lesions, the extent of focal and diffuse myocardial degeneration, myocardial fibrosis and scar formation. A simple score system was used to evaluate pathological changes. A significant correlation was found between the degree of hypertension and the pathological changes produced in coronary vessels and myocardium. In DCR 515-treated rats blood pressure, death rate, coronary and myocardial disease were reduced significantly compared with those of the non-treated rats.