The preventive effects of atorvastatin and N-acetyl cysteine in experimentally induced ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

AIM

We investigated the effects of atorvastatin and N-acetyl cysteine in decreasing ischemia-reperfusion damage after detorsion of a volvulus of the cecum and ascending colon.

METHODS

Wistar albino rats (250-300 g) were divided into four groups. A cecal-ascending colon volvulus was created by the intestinal clockwise 720° rotation. At the end of one hour, the bowel was detorsioned. Group I (n = 7) was the sham (laparotomy) group, Group II (n = 7) the control (no treatment, volvulus or detorsion), Group III (n = 7) (N-acetyl cysteine administered ) , and Group IV (n = 7) (atorvastatin administered ) group. Blood samples were collected from each group via peripheral veins and centrifuged one hour after detorsion. The parameters of ischemia including malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase were then observed in the serous fluid.

RESULTS

Malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase increased in the control group, whereas they were reduced in the Group III and Group IV (p = 0.005; p = 0.008, respectively). The glutathione peroxidase levels revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05), whereas the catalase levels of the group III was higher than in each of the other three groups (p < 0.001). Histopathological evaluation detected reduced lesioning of the organ in the groups which were given atorvastatin and N-acetyl cysteine.

CONCLUSION

Atorvastatin and of N-acetyl cysteine have a similar preventive effect in experimental ischemia-reperfusion injury (Tab. 8, Fig. 6, Ref. 24).