[Effects of ramipril and simvastatin on the oxidative stress of diabetic rats]

To evaluate if ramipril, with or without simultaneous use of simvastatin, would be capable of reducing oxidative stress of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats.

The drugs were given to the diabetic rats for 2 weeks; oxidative stress was measured by dosage of total plasma antioxidant capacity (TRAP) and malondialdehyde (MDA).

Ramipril, used alone, was capable of significantly increasing the antioxidative defenses of the diabetic rat; simvastatin, given alone or combined with ramipril in separate administrations, did not produce any significant effect on the oxidative stress; concomitant administration of ramipril and simvastatin significantly reduced the antioxidative plasmatic defenses of rats with chemically induced diabetes mellitus

Our data corroborate the positive effect of ramipril upon plasma antioxidative defenses but did not confirm a possible beneficial effect of simvastatin in the model. More research is needed to clarify the paradoxal TRAP reduction verified with simultaneous administration of the drugs.