Influence of bezafibrate on total antioxidant activity of serum and deformability of blood cells in hypercholesterolaemic patients.
Fourteen patients with hypercholesterolaemia were treated with bezafibrate (600 mg/day) for a month. Before and after the treatment some biochemical and physical parameters were investigated. Plasma cholesterol levels, elevated before treatment, significantly decreased after one month (p<0.001). Deformability of red blood cells increased significantly in this time (p<0.05). Total antioxidant status of serum decreased statistically significantly (p<0.01). It is concluded that the mechanism of action of bezafibrate is not connected with resistance to oxygen free radicals since the drug has no antioxidant activity. A main mechanism of action of bezafibrate seems to be lowering the cholesterol level. An increase in deformability of red blood cells may make some contribution to this mechanism.
Grodzińska
L
L
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
Jachym
R
R
Sławiński
M
M
Robak
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001629:Bezafibrate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects
D000975:Antioxidants; D002784:Cholesterol; D001629:Bezafibrate