Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Reduction of cerebral infarction in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats by statins associated with amelioration of oxidative stress.

Nagotani S, Hayashi T, Sato K, Zhang W, Deguchi K, Nagano I, Shoji M, Abe K

Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study aimed to clarify the effect of statins on spontaneous stroke and to examine the antioxidative effect in artificial transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). METHODS: Stroke-prone spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR-SP) were treated with pitavastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin, or vehicle for 4 weeks. Physiological parameters, serum lipids, and infarct volumes were examined. The markers for oxidative stresses on lipids and DNA were immunohistochemically detected in vehicle-treated or simvastatin-treated SHR-SP with tMCAO. RESULTS: Atorvastatin and simvastatin decreased infarct volumes, with simvastatin most effective. Simvastatin significantly reduced immunoreactivities for oxidative stress markers for lipids and DNA in neurons after tMCAO. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the antioxidative properties of statins may be implicated in their beneficial effects against neuronal damage in cerebral ischemia.

Published 1 March 2005 in Stroke, 36(3): 670-2.
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