[Therapeutic effects of pravastatin on colitis induced by acetic acid and relevant mechanism: experiment with rats].

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of pravastatin on colitis induced by acetic acid and the relevant mechanism.Methods 8% solution of acetic acid was infusion into the rectum of 50 male SD rats so as to establish models of ulcerative colitis induced by acetic acid and 10 rats were used as normal controls treated with regular feeding. Then the 50 models of ulcerative colitis were randomly assigned into 3 groups: model+placebo group (n=20, infused intragastrically with normal saline 2 ml/d for 7 days), model+pravastatin group (n=15, infused intragastrically with pravastatin 1 mg·kg -1·d -1), and model+salicylazosulfapyridium (SASP) group (n=15, infused intragastrically with SASP 0.25 g·kg -1 ·d -1). The general conditions, food intake, weight, stool consistencies, stool bleeding of rats were observed then the disease activity index (DAI) and the therapeutic effects were evaluated. All the rats were sacrificed at day 8 with their colons taken out. The colon length, colon mucosa damage index (CMDI), and histological score were evaluated and nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the tissue were measured as well. Results Compared with those of the model+ placebo and model+SASP groups, the colon length, DAI, CMDI, and histological score of the model+pravastatin group were significantly improved (all P0.05), the levels of NO and MDA were significantly reduced, while the SOD level was increased remarkably (both P0.05).Conclusion Pravastatin may ameliorate the colitis by antioxidant activity. Its therapeutic effect is more obvious than the conventional medicine SASP.