OBJECTIVE:

To determine the effects of misoprostol on plasma lipoprotein (a) concentrations of ovariectomized rats.

DESIGN:

Controlled prospective study.

SETTING:

Animal research laboratory.

ANIMAL(S):

Four-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats.

INTERVENTION(S):

Blood samples were obtained before and 60 days after ovariectomy, and the rats were divided into three groups. Group I (five rats) was treated with vehicle (water); groups II and III (nine and eight rats, respectively) were treated with oral misoprostol at 100 and 200 microg/kg/d, respectively, for 60 days, after which blood was drawn again.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):

Serum lipoprotein (a) levels.

RESULT(S):

The median lipoprotein (a) level before ovariectomy was 10.8 mg/dL (range, 10.6-46.5 mg/dL). Sixty days after ovariectomy, the level increased significantly to 15.9 mg/dL (range, 10.6-36.9 mg/dL). After treatment, there was no change in lipoprotein (a) levels in the vehicle-treated group (range, 16.3-21.1 mg/dL); however, the lipoprotein (a) levels decreased significantly in the group treated with 100 microg/kg/d of misoprostol, from 15.4 mg/dL to 10.8 mg/dL, and in the group treated with 200 microg/kg/d of misoprostol, from 17.1 mg/dL to 10.6 mg/dL.

CONCLUSION(S):

Misoprostol caused a significant decrease in lipoprotein (a) levels.