Aim: 

Our study was aimed to find out the effects of Atorvastatin (Ator) on isoproterenol (ISO) induced myocardial infarction in rats. Method:

Male Sprague Dawley rats (200 ± 25g) were divided in to four groups: (1) CON: received vehicle. (2) ISO-CON: received ISO (200 mg/kg, s.c.) twice at 24 hr interval. (3) ATR: received Ator (5 mg/kg, p.o.) for 21 days. (4) ISO-ATR: received Ator (5 mg/kg, p.o.) for 21 days + ISO (200 mg/kg) on 20^th and 21^st day at 24 hr interval. The following serum parameters like creatine phosphokinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), lipids along with oxidative stress in heart like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidation (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and membrane bound enzymes like Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase, Ca2 ⁺ ATPase and Mg²⁺ ATPase were estimated. The histopathology of heart was also carried out.

Results: 

Administration of ISO caused severe cardiac damage and oxidative stress which was reflected by abnormal serum parameters like CK, GOT, LDH, TC, LDL, MDA, SOD and CAT. It also caused marked damage in membranous ATPase. Ator treatment when compared to ISO-CON group significantly increased HDL, LDL, GOT (p < 0.01), MDA (p < 0.05) & ATPase activity and significantly decreased TC, TG, LDL (p < 0.05), CK (p < 0.001), GSH, CAT and SOD activity (p < 0.05). The other parameters were not changed significantly by Ator.

Conclusion: 

From the results we conclude that atorvastatin may attenuate isoproterenol induced myocardial injury independent of its antioxidant properties.