Effect of Lovastatin on lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant concentrations in hemodialysis patients

Exploitation of Sugarcane Bagasse and Environmentally Sustainable Production, Purification, Characterization, and Application of Lovastatin by Aspergillus terreus AUMC 15760 under Solid-State Conditions

Using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region for identification, three strains of Aspergillus terreus were identified and designated AUMC 15760, AUMC 15762, and AUMC 15763 for the Assiut University Mycological Centre culture collection. The ability of the three strains to manufacture lovastatin in solid-state fermentation (SSF) using wheat bran was assessed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The most potent strain was strain AUMC 15760, which was chosen to ferment nine types of lignocellulosic waste (barley bran, bean hay, date palm leaves, flax seeds, orange peels, rice straw, soy bean, sugarcane bagasse, and wheat bran), with sugarcane bagasse turning out to be the best substrate. After 10 days at pH 6.0 at 25 °C using sodium nitrate as the nitrogen source and a moisture content of 70%, the lovastatin output reached its maximum quantity (18.2 mg/g substrate). The medication was produced in lactone form as a white powder in its purest form using column chromatography. In-depth spectroscopy examination, including ¹H, ¹³C-NMR, HR-ESI-MS, optical density, and LC-MS/MS analysis, as well as a comparison of the physical and spectroscopic data with published data, were used to identify the medication. At an IC₅₀ of 69.536 ± 5.73 µM, the purified lovastatin displayed DPPH activity. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis had MICs of 1.25 mg/mL, whereas Candida albicans and Candida glabrata had MICs of 2.5 mg/mL and 5.0 mg/mL, respectively, against pure lovastatin. As a component of sustainable development, this study offers a green (environmentally friendly) method for using sugarcane bagasse waste to produce valuable chemicals and value-added commodities.

The effect of statins on the organs: similar or contradictory?

Hydroxy-Methyl-Glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) – the main enzyme of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway – is mostly inhibited by statins in hepatocytes. In spite of the other tissues, liver utilizes cholesterol in different ways such as the synthesis of bile acids, excretion in to the intestine and synthesis of lipoproteins. Therefore, statins theoretically alter these pathways; although, there have not been such effects. In this review, we aim to show the roles of extra-hepatic tissues, in particular intestine, adipose and cutaneous tissues in providing the cholesterol after reduction of the whole body cholesterol content by statins.

The effect of lovastatin on oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes in hydrogen peroxide intoxicated rat

Oxidative stress has been linked to the development of many diseases and hastens the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Since lovastatin is used worldwide as a cholesterol lowering drug, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant property of lovastatin against H(2)O(2) induced oxidative stress in rats. Four study groups of rats of four animals each were treated with DMSO (control), H(2)O(2) (OS), lovastatin (L) and H(2)O(2) + lovastatin (OSL). On the 15th day the animals were sacrificed, and the liver and heart tissues were analyzed for oxidative stress biomarkers and anti-oxidant enzymes. Results of the OSL-group showed a reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in liver (42.7%) and heart tissue (8%) compared with the control group. An increase was observed in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, catalase (34.6% in liver and 33.3% in heart) and glutathione peroxidase (50.5% in liver and 34.7% in heart). A commensurate increase in the activity of G6PDH was observed indicating an enhanced requirement of NADPH. The ratio GSH:GSSG in liver (1.05) and heart (0.84) was satisfactorily regulated compared to the control group (1.01 in liver and 0.93 in heart). These results suggest that lovastatin possesses antioxidant activity and reduces oxidative stress.

Antioxidant status of atorvastatin in hypercholesterolemic patients

This study was an attempt to establish the extent of increased oxidative stress in hypercholesterolemic patients and to evaluate the effect of atorvastatin on the oxidative stress and antioxidant status. Blood samples of 15 subjects (age and sex matched) from three groups: group I (healthy subjects), group II (hypercholesterolemic patients with atorvastatin treatment) and group III (hypercholesterolemic patients without any hypolipidemic drug) were taken and centrifuged to separate the plasma, which was used for the determination of vitamin E. The separated cells were washed thrice with 0.90 % w/v cold normal saline and used for the assay of the percentage hemolysis of the RBCs, and the determination of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and hemoglobin. The levels of oxidative stress were higher in the hypercholesterolemic in comparison to the control and atorvastatin group. The levels of antioxidants were higher in the atorvastatin group than in the hypercholesterolemic one but were lower than the controls. From these findings, it was concluded that there is an increase in oxidative stress in hypercholesterolemia but it decreased significantly after 2 months of atorvastatin therapy and antioxidant status also improves in patients taking atorvastatin.

Effect of nandrolone decanonate on paraoxonase activity in hemodialysis patients

OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to determine the effect of nandrolone decanonate (ND) on HDL-C, apolipoproteins and paraoxonase (PON) activity in stable hemodialysis patients.

DESIGN AND METHODS

64 hemodialysis patients were treated with ND at a dose of 100 mg/I.M./week for 4 months. HDL-C, Apo-AI, Apo B, concentrations and PON activity were measured before and after 2 and 4 months of treatment as well as 2 months after withdrawing the treatment.

RESULTS

After 4 months of treatment, an elevation in the serum levels of Apo B (P<0.0001) and a marked decrease in the concentration of HDL-C (P<0.0001), Apo-AI (P<0.0001) and PON activity (P<0.0001) were found. A significant correlation between PON and both Apo-AI (r=0.270, P<0.04) and HDL-C (r=0.455, P<0.0001) and also between HDL-C and Apo-AI (r=0.305, P<0.02) were found.

CONCLUSION

Results revealed the adverse effects of ND on apolipoprotein levels in our study population. It is possible that ND reduces PON activity mostly by reducing both the HDL-C and Apo-AI levels.