Experimental simvastatin-induced myopathy in rabbits.
We induced experimental myopathy in rabbits by giving simvastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor. After oral administration of simvastatin (50 mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks, serum CK was elevated in 5 of 7 rabbits; degenerating or necrotic fibers were seen in 3 rabbits. Using electromyography, myotonic discharges were found in the 2 rabbits examined. The combination of myotonic discharges, necrosis and raised serum CK levels suggests that the myopathy was induced by lesions of the muscle surface membrane.
Nakahara
K
K
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kuriyama
M
M
Yoshidome
H
H
Nagata
K
K
Nagado
T
T
Nakagawa
M
M
Arimura
K
K
Higuchi
I
I
Osame
M
M
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004576:Electromyography; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D019821:Simvastatin
D004798:Enzymes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D008148:Lovastatin; D019821:Simvastatin