ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of lorsartan on rat model of atherosclerosis. MethodsTotally 30 male Wistar rats were randomly divided to three different groups: control group, model group(high lipid+Vitamin D overload+endothelium injury), and treatment group(high lipid+Vitamin D overload+endothelium injury+lorsartan). Rat model of atherosclerosis was established by high lipid plus Vitamin D overload plus baloon angioplasty-induced endothelium injury, and animals in the treatment group were models treated with lorsartan. After 90 days the blood samples were drawn to examine the serum lipids and calcium, H-E staining was used to observe the structure changes of thoracic aorta, and immunohistochemistry assay was used to observe CD68 and α-actin expression in the thoracic aorta. To study the relationship between AngⅡ and severity of AS, radio-immunity analysis was used to assay AngⅡ in each group,with the thickness of intima used as the index of AS severity. ResultsThe serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), LDL-C and serum calcium in model and treatment groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the model group had a thicker intima and thinner media. Compared with model group, the treatment group had a significantly thinner intima and thicker media (P<0.01). Immunohistochemistry showed that CD68 was negative in the control group, strongly positive in the model group and weakly positive in the treatment group. Compared with model group, α-actin positive level was higher in the treatment group. The serum AngⅡ levels were not significantly different between the three groups. AngⅡ level in the thoracic aorta tissue in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in control group and higher than that in the model group (P<0.05). AngⅡ level in the thoracic aorta tissue was positively related with the intima thickness (P<0.01). ConclusionLorsartan has anti-atherosclerosis effect in rats.