Effect of atorvastatin,a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor in monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritic pain: Implication for osteoarthritis therapy

Background oxidative stress is one of the main causes of pain and cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis. this study on atorvastatin,a hmg-coa reductase inhibitor used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and prevention of coronary heart disease aimed to investigate its effect on hyperalgesia and cartilage damage in monosodium iodoacetate (mia)-induced osteoarthritis model in rats. methods osteoarthritis was induced by a single intra-articular injection of 3 mg mia. after daily administration of atorvastatin (3,10 and 30 mg/kg) for 20 days by oral gavage,pain was assessed on days 0,1,3,7,14 and 21. histopathology of ipsilateral knee joint; oxidative markers and antioxidants in plasma were assessed on day 21. results atorvastatin attenuated hyperalgesia. the increased level of lipid peroxidation,superoxide,protein carbonyl; decreased activity of catalase,glutathione-s-transferase,reduced glutathione and total thiol levels in mia rats were restored to the normal levels,however,superoxide dismutase and nitric oxide levels remained unaltered by atorvastatin. further,atorvastatin reduced the mia-induced histopathological alteration in the knee joint. conclusion our study demonstrated that atorvastatin attenuates mia-induced osteoarthritic pain and protect cartilage degradation through inhibition of oxidative stress suggesting its importance in osteoarthritic pain management. © 2014 institute of pharmacology,polish academy of sciences.