Protective effects of atorvastatin on myocardium in hypertensive rats

Background and Aim: Previous studies have shown that arterial hypertension induces cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of treatment by atorvastatin, as an antioxidant, to prevent myocardial oxidative stress and cardiac hypertrophy in hypertensive rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 20 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four equal groups, including sham, sham treated, hypertensive, and hypertensive treated. The rats were made acutely hypertensive by aortic constriction above the renal arteries. After 21 days, the carotid artery pressure of the subjects was recorded and, under anaesthesia their hearts were removed and weighed. Then, the left atrium of each was excised. After tissue homogenation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of myocardium were determined through biochemical methods. Results: In the hypertensive groups, mean arterial hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy (heart weight/body weight, g/kg) increased70% and 76%, respectively. Aortic constriction significantly increased arterial pressure and cardiac hypertrophy index respectively SOD and CAT activities were significantly lower than in the sham animals ,P