Atorvastatin Inhibits Renal Crystal Retention in a Rat Stone Forming Model

Purpose: The interactions between crystals and renal tubular cells are important factors in urolithiasis formation. Moreover, some reports have suggested the involvement of renal tubular cell injury in crystal-cell interaction processes. Atorvastatin, which is a competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A, is prescribed to decrease high cholesterol levels, and it has anti-inflammation and anti-oxidization activities. Atorvastatin is also reported to control transforming growth factor-β1 expression. We investigated whether atorvastatin can prevent renal tubular cell injury by oxalate and inhibit renal crystal retention.Materials and Methods: Ten-week-old specific pathogen-free male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Atorvastatin (2 mg/kg) in 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose was administered orally daily for 2 weeks. The rats were separated into 4 experimental groups, including group 1—water and 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose daily, group 2—water and atorvastatin in 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose dai...