Background: Hyperlipidemia is the main cause of cardiac arrest and death; atorvastatin is the best medicine for its treatment.
Increase its use has led to the appearance of side effects especially muscles. Costus is a medicinal herb that prevents the risks
of poisoning that occur because of the use of atorvastatin. The aim of this study is to evaluate the costus extract against the
myotoxicity of atorvastatin on male albino rats.
Methods: Eighty adult albino rats were used, divided into four groups each is twenty rats, the first group as a control, given
only water throughout the experiment. The second group was given Costus root extract at a dose (0.4 mg/kg) daily. The third
group was given 50 mg/kg/day of atorvastatin liquified in pure water and the fourth group was given the extract of the root
of the costus at a dose (0.4 mg/kg) daily with 50 mg/kg / A Day of atorvastatin liquefied in pure water daily 90 days, via a
gastric tube. After the end of the experiment, rats were anesthetized and excision of extensor digitorum longus then evaluating
histopathology of muscles by light and electron microscopes and evaluating serum cardiac enzymes, potassium, creatinine and
serum (CPK).
Results: Significant abnormalities in all biomarkers of muscle toxicity with its degenerative changes and use of the root extract
of costus with the sub-chronic intake of atorvastatin ameliorating signs of muscle toxicity.
Conclusions: Sub-chronic use of atorvastatin could cause myotoxicity On the contrary antioxidant costus may help to prevent
atorvastatin-induced myotoxicity.