The Possible Protective Effect of Atorvastatin on Azithromycin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Adult Male Albino Rat: Light &Electron Microscopic Study.
Fatma ElZahraa Mohammed Abdellatif, Azza Embaby, Samar Ahmed Sherbiny, Eman Mohammed Mohammed Abdel-Hameed · Egyptian Journal of Cell and Tissue Research · 2023
Background: With its antiviral and immunomodulatory actions, Azithromycin has been used in the protocol for treating COVID-19, either in conjunction with Hydroxychloroquine or on its own more recently. Myocardial apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammation were all seen in rat models after Azithromycin treatment. A synthetic statin called atorvastatin has antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties that help reduce the damage caused by myocardial ischemia. The purpose of this research was to see whether Atorvastatin may mitigate the cardiotoxic effects of Azithromycin. Aim of the work: This study was performed to investigate histologically the possible protective effect of Atorvastatin on Azithromycin-induced cardiotoxicity in adult male albino rats. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 adult male albino rats were randomly split into four groups of ten animals each and treated with either a placebo, Azithromycin, Atorvastatin, or both. For two weeks, an intragastric tube delivered 30 milligrams of azithromycin per kilogram of body weight and 2 milligrams of atorvastatin. Rats were sacrified twenty-four hours after the final treatment, then their hearts were removed, and apical portions were processed for examination using light and electron microscopes followed by statistical testing. Results: Cardiac myocytes in the azithromycin group had fewer cross striations, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration, a greater deposition of collagen fibers, localized degeneration of myofibers, disruption of sarcomeres, mitochondrial damage, and nuclear pyknosis. The atorvastatin and azithromycin-treated group saw these improvements first. Conclusion: Light and electron microscopy results demonstrated that the Atorvastatin group had restored cardiac muscle fibers.