Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl-CO A reductase inhibitors) exert favorable
effects on lipoprotein metabolism but may, also, possess antioxidant and antisecretory
effects which have led to the interest in the use of that class of drugs outside
treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Here, the effects of atorvastatin in experimently
induced gastric acid secretion and ulcer formation and the mechanisms underlying
that protection in rats were explored. Animals were randomly assigned to three
experimental groups (control, indomethacin, and indomethacin+atorvastatin groups).
Pyloric ligation was performed for collection of gastric juice, and gastric ulceration
was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of indomethacin (40mg/kg).The
following parameters were assayed (volume of gastric secretion and acidity, the level
of mucus, and proteolytic activity in gastric juice; lipid peroxides (MDA), nitric oxide
(NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in gastric mucosa). Pretreatment with
atorvastatin (10 mg/kg orally for 7 days) caused significant reduction in gastric
mucosal lesions, MDA and gastric acid secretion associated with significant increase
in gastric juice mucin secretion. Also, atorvastatin significantly increased gastric NO
and PGE2 levels. These data illustrate the gastroprotective effects of atorvastatin
which may be mediated by its anti-oxidant and anti-secretory
properties.