ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of atorvastatin compared with simvastatin and pravastatin in patients of hyperlipidemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a randomized, parallel group, open-label study conducted at KG hospital, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. Twenty hyperlipidemia patients each taking atorvastatin 20 mg, pravastatin 20 mg and simvastatin 20 mg tablets were selected for the study after clinical and baseline investigations. The patients were reviewed after 3(rd) and 5(th) month of statin therapy for lipid profile. The liver enzyme levels (SGOT, SGPT, ALP), albumin, bilirubin, protein and biochemical infraction parameters (Creatine Kinase, Creatine Kinase - Myocardial Band) after 5(th) month of treatment with statins were also reviewed. RESULTS: The results showed that atorvastatin significantly reduced the lipid levels (LDL-C, TC, TG, VLDL) when compared to simvastatin and pravastatin after 3(rd) and 5(th) month of treatment. Atorvastatin increased the HDL-C levels significantly when compared to simvastatin and pravastatin after 5 months of treatment. Atorvastatin also significantly reduced the CK levels when compared to pravastatin but no increase in liver enzyme levels was observed. CONCLUSION: The study showed that atorvastatin is more effective when compared to simvastatin and pravastatin in patients with hyperlipidemia.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anti-ovulatory activity of H(2) receptor blockers (ranitidine, famotidine and roxatidine) in albino rabbits considering the role of histamine in ovulation. METHOD: The drugs were orally administered once daily for three days to adult female rabbits weighing between 1.3-2.0 kg (four groups of three animals). The control group received the 1% weight/volume gum acacia suspension. Thirty minutes after the administration of the last dose, a freshly prepared 0.4 % solution of cupric acetate was administered to each animal intravenously via the marginal ear vein (4 mg/kg body weight) to induce ovulation. To assess ovulation, laparotomy was carried out 48 h after cupric acetate injection. The ovaries were exposed, bleeding points on each ovary were counted, and the ovaries and uteri were subjected to histopathological evaluation. RESULTS: Based on the number of bleeding points (ovulation sites) observed on the ovary, H(2) blockers showed varying degrees of anti-ovulatory activity. Roxatidine exerted the most pronounced activity. Histopathological observations of uterus and ovary confirmed the aforementioned observations. CONCLUSION: H(2) receptor blockers appeared to inhibit the cupric acetate-induced ovulation in albino rabbits. Our results seem to confirm the role of histamine in ovulation reported by other authors.
