Objective hs-CRP serum level and the CD40 mRNA expression of aorta in atherosclerotic (AS) rats were measured in this experiment. To observe the effect of anti-inflammatory on AS rats treated with olmesartan medoxomil, and further to compare the effect between olmesartan medoxomil and candesartan cilexetil.

Methods 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: A control group, B AS model group, C candesartan cilexetil-treated group, D olmesartan medoxomil-treated group's, C and D groups reproduced AS model, C and D group while giving candesartan cilexetil and olmesartan medoxomil to intervene respectively. 1. 2 ml of blood was collected at 0 week and the end of 8 week, then centrifuged and the supernatant was obtained, hs-CRP serum level was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to investigate and compare hs-CRP serum level in each group. 2. To separated the thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta of rats quickly, the expression of CD40 of aorta in every group was detected by reverse transcript polymerse chain reaction (RT-PCR), and finally to take pictures and observe with UV detector. Meanwhile with GADPH as an internal reference agent and conclude the relative expression level of CD40 in aortic tissue, to compare the expression of CD40 in rats aortic among the groups.

Results 1. At 0 week, the levels of serum hs-CRP were similar among the four groups and showed no significant difference (p>0.05); At the end of 8 week, the level of serum hs-CRP in AS rats were significantly higher than that in control group rats (p<0.01), among the two treated groups and no treated group, hs-CRP serum level was reduced obviously in two treated groups (p<0.01), furthermore the level of serum hs-CRP in olmesartan medoxomil-treated group was much lower than candesartan cilexetil (p<0.01).2. The expression level of CD40 in AS rats aorta was obviously higher than control group (p<0.01), but compared with B group, CD40 mRNA expression in aorta of olmesartan medoxomil and candesartan cilexetil-treated rats decresed significantly (p<0.01), the level expression of CD40 in D group was lower than C group and the difference had statistically significant (p <0.01).

Conclusion 1. The level of serum inflammatory likeas hs-CRP was increased in AS rats, and expressed high level of CD40 in AS rats aorta. 2. Olmesartan medoxomil and candesartan cilexetil can reduce AS rats hs-CRP serum level and decrease the expression level of CD40 in aorta. Both of olmesartan medoxomil and candesartan cilexetil have the effect of anti-inflammatory to AS rats. 3. Compared with candesartan cilexetil-treated, the level of serum hs-CRP and the expression of CD40 decrease in olmesartan medoxomil-treated AS rats, therefore olmesartan medoxomil has a stronger anti-inflammatory effects on AS rats.