DUAL EFFECT OF ATORVASTATIN ON ENDOTHELIUM

REDUCTION IN LDL AND TXA2 LEVELS BUT UNALTERED HCY LEVELS IN OBESE HYPERLIPIDEMIC RATS.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to observe the effect of lipid lowering
therapy on homocysteine and TXA2 concentration in obese hyperlipidemic Sprague Dawley
rats. Design: Randomized Control Trial (RCT). Place and Duration of study: The study was
conducted in Department of Physiology and Centre for Research in Experimental and Applied
Medicine (CREAM), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi; and National Institute of Health (NIH)
Islamabad over a period of 12 months. Methodology: Ninety healthy Sprague Dawley rats
divided into three equal groups. Group I (n=30) were healthy controls, group II (n=30) were
made obese and group III (n=30) were obese treated (atorvastatin 10 mg/kg/day orally by
gavage method for three weeks). Body weight was recorded thrice weekly, lipid profile was
measured by colorimetric method on microlab and homocysteine and TXA2 were measured
by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay. Results: Serum low density lipoproteins and TXA2
decreased after three weeks of atorvastatin administration, elevated HCY concentration in obese
hyperlipidemic rats however was not significantly affected. Conclusion: Atorvastatin apart from
lowering lipid levels in the body also reduces TXA2 concentration which is a vasoprotective.
Elevated HCY concentration which is deleterious to the endothelium however is not affected.