Influence of pioglitazone on lipid levels in experimental model rats of atherosclerosis and its clinical significance

Objective To investigate the change of lipid levels in high-fat diets induced atherosclerotic rats treated with pioglitazone, and to explore its clinical significance. Methods Twenty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into control group (n=9) and high-fat diets group (n=17). High-fat diets group received high-fat diets for 12 weeks, and then were randomly devided into model group (n=8) and pioglitazone-treated group (n=9). The control group, model group and pioglitazone-treated group received intragastric administration with distilled water, distilled water (1.5 ml/100 g) and pioglitazone 10 mg/(kg·d) respectively. Meanwhile, all animals continued to receive high-fat diets. After 4 weeks, the serum lipid level of all rats was measured, and the aortic pathological changes were observed. Results Compared with control group, the serum levels of TG, TC in model group and pioglitazone-treated group were significantly higher after 12 weeks' high-fat diets(P0.01).After intervention with pioglitazone for 4 weeks, the serum levels of TG, TC and LDL-C were decreased (P0.01). Moreover, the serum levels of TG, TC in pioglitazone-treated group was markedly lower than those in model group(P0.01). Aortic thickening and smooth muscle cell proliferation were induced in high-fat diets group. Conclusions Pioglitazone can improve lipid levels in hyperlipidemia rats, delay the pathological changes in aortic atherosclerosis, suggesting that the effect of pioglitazone on anti-atherosclerosis may be partly attributed to the improvement of blood lipid.