Comparative evaluation of renal, pleiotropic and myotropic effects of statins in rats

The effect of certain statins with different lipophilicity (atorvastatin (ATO), lovastatin (LOV), simvastatin (SIM)) on renal function of apparently healthy rats at a conventionally effective dose of 20 mg/kg was established. As it has been found in our experiments on the 7 th day of statins administration there was only a slight increase in urine output along with a moderate growth of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and decrease in excretion of sodium ions and protein while maintaining the mechanisms of intrarenal autoregulation. Renotropic action of statins, among various mechanisms, was evoked by their pleiotropic effects what was confirmed by the presence of correspondent correlations. Antioxidant effect of drugs was evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased catalase (CAT) activity, as well as by reducing trend of blood plasma proinflammatory cytokines and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-)). An absence of statins influence on blood plasma transaminase levels, blood plasma creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity and skeletal muscles histostructure was also demonstrated. The most marked renal effect was demonstrated by SIM -the most lipophilic drug among the studied ones.