LIPID LOWERING BY STATIN;

Abstract

Objectives: To observe the effect of lipid lowering by atorvastatin administrationon platelet reactivity by measuring serum beta thromboglobulin concentration in male andfemale Sprague Dawley rats. Study Design: Randomized control trial (RCT). Place of study:The study was conducted at Physiology department, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. Animalhandling, obesity induction, drug administration and sample collection were done at NationalInstitute of Health (NIH), Islamabad and biochemical assays were performed at Centre forResearch in Experimental and Applied Medicine (CREAM), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi.Period: 12 months. Material and Methods: Ninety healthy Sprague Dawley (male and female)rats were randomly selected and divided into three equal groups. Group I rats (normal control)were given normal chow diet for three weeks. Group II rats (obese control) were given high fatdiet for three weeks to induce obesity. Group III rats (obese treated) were given atorvastatinfor three weeks in a dose of 10 mg/kg/day orally by gavage method after obesity induction.Terminal blood sampling was done at the end of the study by intra-cardiac puncture. Bloodwas centrifuged to obtain serum and serum beta thromboglobulin was measured by usingEnzyme Linked Immunosorbant assay. Results: There was a significant (p < 0.05) increasein serum B-TG concentration in obese rats as compared to normal control rats. Atorvastatinadministration to obese rats significantly (p < 0.05) reduced serum B-TG concentration.Conclusions: Obesity increases and statin administration decreases platelet reactivity in highfat diet induced obese Sprague Dawley rats as reflected by serum B-TG concentration.