Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of rosuvastatin in experimentally-induced
hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in rats. Carbon tetra chloride (CCl4) was administered orally to induce
liver damage in female Long Evans rats. Rats were treated with CCl4 alone twice a week over two
weeks. Rosuvastatin (10 mg/kg) was also given daily to CCl4 treated rats concurrently by nasogastric
gavage. After two weeks, various oxidative stress markers as well as liver markers enzymes were
investigated in different animal groups tested in this study. Moreover, histological assessments were also
done for inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis in the liver of all test groups. Plasma aspartate
aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were
increased in the CCl4 group compared with the control group. Increased liver enzyme activities were
significantly decreased by rosuvastatin treatment. Moreover, rosuvastatin treatment inhibited the
formation of lipid peroxidation products in CCl4 administered rats. Rosuvastatin treatment also restored
the decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities as well as elevated the reduced glutathione
concentration in CCl4 administered rats. Liver tissues from rats of control group also revealed no
significant pathological changes, while CCl4 administered rats showed significant infiltration of
inflammatory cells and liver fibrosis, which was further, normalized or significantly decreased by
rosuvastatin treatment. This study revealed that, rosuvastatin treatment may ameliorate all necroinflammatory and fibrotic changes in liver tissues of CCl4 induced rats and could be used as an
alternative therapy for chemical or drug-induced liver fibrosis.

Key words: Carbon tetra chloride, inflammation, superoxide dismutase, rosuvastatin, fibrosis