Effects of Pravastatin in Adriamycin-Induced Nephropathy in Rats

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of pravastatin on adriamycin (adr)-induced nephropathy and the mechanisms involved. forty rats were divided into the following 4 groups: control, adr (15 mg.kg^-1, ip), adr plus pravastatin (20 mg.kg^-1 which was started 5 days prior to adr injection), and adr plus pravastatin (20 mg.kg^-1 which was started 5 days after adr injection). on day 20 after adr injection, the animals were sacrificed. the results showed that administration of pravastatin decreased the levels of 24-h urinary protein (24-h up), blood urea nitrogen (bun), and creatinine (p < 0.05) which had increased after the injection of adr; in addition, pravastatin reversed structural changes seen in adr group. furthermore, pravastatin elevated mrna and protein expression of nephrin (p < 0.05) which had been reduced in adr group. we conclude that pravastatin protects and treats renal injury induced by adr.