OXIDATIVE STRESS IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC PATIENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS OF FLUVASTATIN

This study was an attempt to establish the extent of increased oxidative stress in hypercholesterolemic patients and to evaluate the effect of fluvastatin on the oxidative stress and antioxidant status. The blood samples of 15 subjects (age and sex matched) each from group I (healthy subjects), group II (hypercholesterolemic patients with fluvastatin treatment) and group III (hypercholesterolemic patients without any hypolipidemic drug) were taken and centrifuged for separation of plasma. Plasma was used for the estimation of vitamin E. The separated cells were washed thrice with 0.9 % w/v cold normal saline and used for the assay of percentage hemolysis of RBCs, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and hemoglobin. Levels of oxidative stress were higher in hypercholesterolemic in comparison to control and fluvastatin group. Levels of antioxidants were higher in fluvastatin group than hypercholesterolemic but were lower than 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 fluvastatin therapy and antioxidant status also improves in patients taking fluvastatin.