IDivision ofNeurological Diseases, Wakayama Medical College, Wakayama,Japan; 2DepartmentofLaboratory Medicine,

Calcium, phosphorus and aluminium concentrations in the central nervous system, liver and kidneys were determined in 16 rabbits with atherosclerosis experimentally induced by a cholesterol-rich diet and the protective effect of 3 or 10 mg/kg-day vinpocetfne (14-ethoxycarbonyl-(3a,I6<x.-ethyl)-14,15-eburnamenine) given orally on the deposition of these elements was assessed. Rabbits fed a choles-terol-rich diet developed atherosclerosis after 3 months and these rabbits possessed high concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and aluminium in the central nervous system, determined by neutron activation analysis. In atherosclerotic rabbits fed a vinpocetine sup-plement, there was a decrease in concentrations of these elements in tissues. It is suggested that calcium, phosphorus and aluminium may be implicated in the aetiology of atherosclerosis and that vinpocetine may have a preventive action on the deposition of these elements in central nervous tissue, liver and kidney. KEY WORDS: Vinpocetine; experimental atherosclerosis; calcium; phosphorus; alu-miniium;central nervous tissue; liver; kidney. Received for publication 23 November 1989