Effects of atorvastatin on myocardial oxidative and nitrosative stress in diabetic rats

Free radicals play a pivotal role in many pathophysiological states, such as myopathies. Atorvastatin is a known cholesterol-lowering agent with many pleiotropic actions including antioxidant properties. However, the impact of atorvastatin on myocardial oxidative stress is not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of atorvastatin in improving diabetes-induced oxidative stress in the myocardium. Male Wistar rats weighing 20–25 g were randomly divided into four groups as normal, normal-treated, diabetes, and diabetes-treated. Induction of diabetes was performed by a single dose of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg, i.v.). Treated animals received atorvastatin for 8 weeks orally (40 mg/kg/day). After 8 weeks, animals were sacrificed and myocardial tissues were removed. Then, nitrate, glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents as well as enzymatic activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the myocardial tissues were determined. Diabetes-induced oxidative stress by increasing nitrous free radicals (nitrate) ( p ≤ 0.001) and MDA content ( p ≤ 0.001), but had no significant effects on SOD, CAT, and GSH activities. Atorvastatin treatment in diabetic animals decreased free radical-induced damages by decreasing nitrate and MDA content and increasing GSH and SOD activities compared to control non-diabetic animals. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia induces oxidative burden in myocardium. Treatment by atorvastatin decreases oxidative and nitrosative stress in the myocardium of diabetic animals.