Comparison of the effects of alpha-tocopherol, ubiquinone-10 and probucol at therapeutic doses on atherosclerosis in WHHL rabbits.

Oxidative modification of lipoproteins may trigger and maintain atherogenesis. We compared the effects of different antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol, probucol, ubiquinone-10) at doses similar to those used in humans in Watanabe Heritable Hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits for 12 months. Aortic lesions were analyzed for their extent and cellular composition of lesions, mean thickness of fibrous caps and density of smooth muscle cells therein, content of antioxidants, non-oxidized and oxidized lipids.