Atorvastatin reduction of intracranial hematoma volume in rats subjected to controlled cortical impact.
OBJECTIVE
Atorvastatin, a beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, has pleiotropic effects such as improving thrombogenic profile, promoting angiogenesis, and reducing inflammatory responses and has shown promise in enhancing neurological functional improvement and promoting neuroplasticity in animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and intracranial hemorrhage. The authors tested the effect of atorvastatin on intracranial hematoma after TBI.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats were subjected to controlled cortical impact, and atorvastatin (1 mg/kg) was orally administered 1 day after TBI and daily for 7 days thereafter. Rats were killed at 1, 8, and 15 days post-TBI. The temporal profile of intraparenchymal hematoma was measured on brain tissue sections by using a MicroComputer Imaging Device and light microscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
Data in this study showed that intraparenchymal and intraventricular hemorrhages are present 1 day after TBI and are absorbed at 15 days after TBI. Furthermore, atorvastatin reduces the volume of intracranial hematoma 8 days after TBI.
Lu
Dunyue
D
Department of Neurosurgery, Henry Ford Health Sciences Center, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.
Mahmood
Asim
A
Qu
Changsheng
C
Goussev
Anton
A
Lu
Mei
M
Chopp
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000293:injuries*; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020198:Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin