The evaluation of analgesic effects of simvastatin, pravastatin and atorvastatin in hot plate test

M. Kesim, M. Kadioglu, M. Okuyan*, E. Muci, I. Erkoseoglu, N.I. Kalyoncu, E. Yaris

Department of Pharmacology and *Department of Physiology, Karadeniz Technical University, School of Medicine, Trabzon (Turkey)

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• Pharmacology

OBJECTIVES: Simvastatin, pravastatin and atorvastatin have been evaluated whether to have analgesic effects in mice in hot plate test.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Simvastatin (5, 10, 30 mg/kg), pravastatin (5, 10, 30 mg/kg) and atorvastatin (5, 10, 30 mg/kg) were administered acute and chronically by oral gavage in mice. Control (pretreatment value) and posttreatment (after drugs application) values in 60th and 120th minutes were measured in hot-plate test.

RESULTS: All three drugs at 10, 30 mg/kg doses produced analgesic effects compared with their control values in 60th and 120th minutes on acute and chronic application in mice. The analgesic effects of drugs were evaluated after the application of L-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (10 mg/kg) or naloxone (0.5 mg/kg). L-NAME (10 mg/kg) has no effect compared to the control value on both minutes. The analgesic effects of both atorvastatin (30 mg/kg) and simvastatin (30 mg/kg) in the presence of L-NAME (10 mg/kg) were not inhibited. However, the analgesic effect of pravastatin (30 mg/kg) in the presence of L-NAME (10 mg/kg) was inhibited significantly on both minutes (p < 0.05). Naloxone (0.5 mg/kg) has no effect compared to the control value on both minutes. The analgesic effect of atorvastatin (30 mg/kg) in the presence of naloxone (0.5 mg/kg) was partially (43%) but significantly inhibited only on 60th minute (p < 0.05). The analgesic effect of pravastatin (30 mg/kg) in the presence of naloxone (0.5 mg/kg) was partially (48-40%) but significantly inhibited on both minutes (p < 0.05). However, the analgesic effect of simvastatin (30 mg/kg) in the presence of naloxone (0.5 mg/kg) was inhibited significantly on both minutes (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: These finding indicated that the analgesic effect of pravastatin was related to nitrergic systems and partially opioidergic system; analgesic effect of simvastatin was related to opiodergic system in hot plate test. However, the analgesic effect of atorvastatin was not directly related to both system.

Corresponding Author: Murat Kesim, MD; e-mail: muratkesim@gmail.com

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