Vitamine E Supplementation Protects Against Diabetogenic Effect of Statin in Hypercholesterolemic Rats, SUZAN M. HAZZAA and SALLY S. DONIA
Abstract
Background: Hypercholesterolemia or dyslipidemia is caused by increase in the serum level of cholesterol, triglyc-erides and low denisity lipoproteins (LDL). They are usually associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Statins are group of drugs widely used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. There is an increasing evidence of a very annoying side effect as it causes glucose intolerance. Vitamin E is an important natural antioxidant which is known to decrease the risk of diabetes.
Aim: The aim of the present work was to know the ability of vitamin E to decrease the diabetogenic effect of statin in hypercholesterolemic rats.
Methods: Forty adult male Wister albino rats of the same age were used in this study. They were divided into equal five groups. (I) Normal control group: Rats in this group fed with standard laboratory diet, (II) Hypercholesterolemic group: Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding rats high cholesterol diet, (III) Statin-treated Hypercholesterolemic group: In this group hypercholesterolemic rats were given atrovastatin, (IV) Vitamin E-treated group (E): In this group hypercholesterolemic rats were injected by vitamin E, (V) Combined statin and vitamin E treated group: hypercholester-olemic rats were treated by both atrovastatin and vitamin E. The following parameters are measured; fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-C, malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidants, reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and their ratio.
Results: The present work revealed that statin caused significant increase in fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance with significant decrease in beta cell functions. Vitamin E supplementation with statin caused significant decrease in fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance with significant increase in beta cell functions. Also vitamin E supplementation improved oxidative stress by significant decrease in MDA with significant increase in the level of total antioxidants and increase in the GSH and GSH/GSS.