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Published on: April 11, 2014
Ascorbic Acid Significantly Decreases Creatine Kinase Plasma Levels in an Animal Model of Statin/Fibrate-Induced
Mohsen Zabihi1, Fatemeh Askarian1, Seyedhossein Hekmatimoghaddam2,3
1Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Background:
Myopathy is one of the side effects of lipid-lowering drugs, especially statins and particularly when combined with a fibrate. To diagnose myopathy and determine its severity, the plasma levels of three enzymes, creatine kinase (CK), aldolase, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), are routinely measured. Physical exercise can aggravate the statin-associated muscular disease. The question is whether antioxidants like ascorbic acid (Vit. C) can prevent such myopathy.
Methods:
In this experiment, a combination of atorvastatin (ATV, 80 mg/kg/day) and gemfibrozil (GMF, 1000 mg/kg/day) orally for 10 days as well as exercise as forced swimming on days 8, 9, and 10 were used to induce myopathy. Ascorbic acid (50 mg/kg/day, orally) was added to ATV/GMF plus exercise regimen throughout the 10 days in the treatment group. Mean blood levels of CK, aldolase, and LDH were measured in addition to swimming tolerance times.
Results:
There was a significantly higher swimming tolerance time (P < 0.05) and lower CK levels (P < 0.01) in rats receiving ATV/GMF/Vit. C plus exercise compared with rats not taking Vit. C. LDH and aldolase did not decrease significantly.
Conclusion:
The results of this study showed that Vit. C can be effective in preventing myopathy caused by fat-lowering drugs.
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