Effect of rosuvastatin on methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinaemia and haematological changes in rats.

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of rosuvastatin on methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinaemia and haematological changes in albino rats. Methionine (1 g/kg, orally) administration to pathogenic control rats (i.e. group II) for 30 days significantly (P < 0.01) increased the levels of homocysteine, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and triglycerides (TGs) and decreased the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in serum. Haematological observations of the peripheral blood smears of pathogenic rats (i.e. group II) fed with methionine also showed crenation of red blood cells cell membrane and significant (P < 0.01) increase in total leucocyte count, differential leucocyte count and platelet counts with significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the mean haemoglobin levels as compared to vehicle control rats (group I). Administration of rosuvastatin (0.5 mg/kg/day, orally) to hyperhomocysteinaemic rats for 30 days significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the levels of homocysteine, TC, TGs, LDL-C, VLDL-C and increased the levels of HDL-C in serum. The present results provide clear evidence that oral treatment with rosuvastatin produces homocysteine and lipid lowering activity and also reversal of haematological changes induced by methionine in rats.