Effect of acute Atorvastatin treatment in an experimental model of colitis

Abstract

Acute atorvastatin treatment in an experimental model of colitis was studied using the acetic acid induction modality for colitis in rats. This study was aimed to evaluate possible therapeutic effects of atorvastatin against acetic acid-induced colitis in a rat model and to find out the correlation between severity index with oxidative stress parameters and inflammatory markers. Experimental colitis was induced in rats by rectal administration of 4% acetic acid (vol/vol). Rats with colitis were received either atorvastatin 10mg/kg or sulfasalazine 100mg/kg orally for 7 days. Macroscopical and microscopical assessment and the measurement of the colonic cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), oxidative stress markers; myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and adhesion molecules (E-Selectin and ICAM-1). Both the macroscopical lesion area and histological colonic injury induced by acetic acid were reduced significantly by both atorvastatin and sulfasalazine. These were associated by attenuation of the increased colonic MPO activity, MDA and proinflammatory cytokines. In addition, there is the downregulation of the adhesion molecules. In the present study, Atorvastatin had shown therapeutic effects in experimental colitis. The anti-inflammatory actions involve antioxidant effect related to phenolic moiety along with inhibition of adhesion molecule synthesis in the colonic tissues.