Effects of atorvastatin on nitrate tolerance in diabetic rats

Statins have been reported to show preventive effect on nitrate tolerance in normal rats, but there are no reports on their effect in diabetic animals. In this study, diabetes was induced in male wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg). Five groups of diabetic and five groups of normal rats were treated; groups 1 (of normal and diabetic rats) received atorvastatin (10 mg/kg/d p.o. for 8 weeks) and groups 2 received atorvastatin (10 mg/kg/d p.o. for last 3 days). Groups 3 and groups 4 were similar to groups 1 and 2 respectively, except that they received nitroglycerin (50 mg/kg/d, b.i.d. for last 3 days of the study). Groups 5 received neither atorvastatin nor nitroglycerin. After 8 weeks, relaxations to nitroglycerin (0.01 to 10 nM) and nitroprusside (0.01 to 10 nM) were determined on phenylephrine-preconstricted aortic rings. The relaxation response to nitroglycerin in diabetic and normal aorta were not significantly different. The results showed that 8 weeks treatment with atorvastatin prevents nitrate tolerance in diabetic and normal rats, but in nitrate tolerant animals, 3 days treatment with atorvastatin was not effective on protection against nitrate tolerance.