OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and safety of Zedoary Turmeric Oil (ZTO)-eluting stents for post-coronary stenting restenosis prevention and treatment in the experimental dogs.

METHODSBare stents, stents coated with polybutyl methacrylate/Nano silica, and stents eluted with 100 microg ZTO were randomly deployed in canine anterior descending or circumflex coronary artery. Four weeks after stent implantation, the dogs were sacrificed and the vascular histomorphologic changes in the stenting segment analyzed.

RESULTSThickened intima could be seen under light microscope in the bare or coated stents, but thinner in ZTO-duting stent, with no sub-intimal hemorrhage, medial or adventitial necrosis, wall adhesive thrombus, or infiltration of inflammatory cells. Scanning electric microscopy showed the intima was intact. Histomorphologic analysis showed that the thickness and area of neo-intima, and the lumen stenosis percent in artery stented with ZTO eluting stents were significantly lower than those stented with bare or coated stents (P <0.01), and thus the lumen cavity was expanded (P < 0.01), while no statistic significant difference between polymer and bare stents was found (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONZTO-eluting stent is available and safe, and it could significantly inhibit the growth of neo-intimal in canine coronary mode after stenting, showing a restenosis preventive and treatment effect.