Combined treatment with alpha- tocopherol prevents simvastatin - induced skeletal muscle injury in rats

Abstract

Statins are widely used regardless of their myopathic side effects that ranging from weak myalgia to serious rhabdomyolysis. Simvastatin is one of the most common used of all statins anti-hyperlipidemic drugs despite the fact that there is much controversy about its safety. Alpha- tocopherol has antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties. The aim of this study is to elucidate the myopathic effect of simvastatin and protective role of alpha- tocopherol in adult male rat skeletal muscle via biochemical, histological and immunohistochemical studies. Control group received 0.5 ml of olive oil; alpha- tocopherol group was treated with 100mg/ kg b.w, intramuscularly; simvastatin group was treated with 40mg/ kg b.w, orally; simvastatin and alpha- tocopherol group and a group pretreated with alpha- tocopherol then simvastatin associated with alpha- tocopherol daily for 2 weeks. The treatment with simvastatin caused significant deviations of myotoxicity biomarkers associated with histopathological and immunohistochemical variations. Pre-treatment and co- administration of alpha- tocopherol led to an enhancement in myotoxicity indexes.