Gul-e-naghma Saeed, Idrees Farooq Butt, Muhammad Mazhar Hussain.
Effects of simvastatin and levo-carnitine on dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in obese insulin resistant rats.
Pak J Physiol Jan ;10(2):24-7.

Background: Obesity and its accompanying problem of metabolic syndrome are a worldwide occurrence. To minimise the cardiovascular risks associated with metabolic syndrome, lipid lowering drugs like statins are given. This study was carried out to compare the effects of simvastatin and Lcarnitine on insulin resistance and cardiac risk factors in high fat diet fed insulin-resistant obese Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: Sixty-four healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of sixteen rats each. Group-1 was control and given normal pellet diet while the rest were given high fat diet to induce obesity. After two months, insulin resistance was confirmed by calculating TG/HDL-C ratio. High fat diet was continued and drugs administered (simvastatin 12 mg/Kg, and levo-carnitine 200 mg/Kg) for one month in groups 3 and 4 while group 2 served as control. At the end of this period, lipid profile, and plasma glucose levels were recorded and statistically analysed. Results: Plasma glucose, serum triglycerides, and total cholesterol were raised significantly in groups given high fat diet (p<0.000). Serum triglycerides were significantly decreased by both drugs (p<0.001), the reduction was more in carnitine than in simvastatin group (p>0.047). Total cholesterol reduction in simvastatin group was highly significant (p<0.002) but was insignificant in l- carnitine group (p<0.069). The reduction in the fasting plasma glucose levels was highly significant in levo-carnitine group (p<0.000), and not significant in simvastatin group (p<0.290). Insulin resistance was reduced by both the drug administered groups (p<0.01), the difference between the two groups was not significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: Both simvastatin and levo-carnitine succeeded in significantly reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular complications of obesity and metabolic syndrome although their maximal beneficial effect was on different parameters.

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