ABSTRACT
Simvastatin is a lipid lowering agent. It reduces risk of mortality in persons with coronary heart disease. Some patients treated with simvastatin, have developed liver, kidney and skeletal muscle symptoms. Coenzyme Ql0 has a significant antioxidant activity acting as a primary scavenger of free radicals and influences membrane stability in many tissues including skeletal muscle. Was to evaluate the effect of simvastatin drug on the histological structure of skeletal muscle fibers of adult male albino rats and the possible role of coenzyme Q10 [C0Q 10] as a protective agent. 38 adult male albino rats were used and divided into three groups. Group I [control], group II included 10 rats treated with simvastatin for 4 and 12 weeks and group III included 10 rats treated with simvastatin and CoQ 10 orally for 4 and 12 weeks. The gastrocnemius muscle was dissected and prepared for light and electron microscopic study. In rats subjected to high therapeutic dose of simvastatin for 4 and 12 weeks, the gastrocnemius muscle showed variation in size, splitting and focal degeneration of myofibers as well as mononuclear cellular infiltration and increased deposition of collagen fibers in-between muscle fibers. EM revealed mitochondrial degeneration and dilatation of sarcoplasmic reticulum. Mitochondria were markedly accumulated between myofibrils and in subsarcolemmal space. Coadministration of coenzyme Q 10 with simvastatin for 4 and 12 weeks ameliorated most of the above mentioned histological changes in the animals used. Simvastatin drug caused skeletal muscle damage. Coenzyme Q 10 resulted in protection of the skeletal muscle fibers when given concomitantly with simvastatin