Changes in the relative levels of fatty acids in blood and myocardium in the Prague breed of rats with hereditary hypercholesteremia after administration of slow calcium channel blockers

The present paper describes the effect of six-week oral administration of verapamil and diltiazem (1 mg.kg-1 of weight two times daily in 12 hour intervals) on the content of fatty acids of the serum and myocardium of PHHC rats. A cholesterol diet changes the content of fatty acids of the serum and myocardium of PHHC rats in comparison with control rats without the cholesterol diet. A significant decrease in the content of palmitic acid, a decrease in the content of stearic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid and a significant increase in the content of oleic acid were observed in the serum. Long-term administration of the slow calcium channel blockers produces another decrease in the content of the bound form of arachidonic acid. Changes in the representation of other fatty acids are not marked. Long-term administration of a cholesterol diet produces an increase in the content of palmitic acid and stearic acid and a decrease in the content of oleic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid in the myocardium. Administration of verapamil results in a modification of the above-mentioned changes in all parameters excepting the content of arachidonic acid, the content of which was decreased in an even more marked manner. Administration of diltiazem produced an accumulation of both saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic and oleic acids) and produced a significant decrease in the content of linoleic acid and mainly the bound form of arachidonic acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)