title: Study of Atorvastatin in experimental allergic airway inflammation in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with airway diseases. There is growing evidence that Atorvastatin could be used as a therapy for these conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  On these bases, we evaluated Atorvastatin as a protective and reversal treatment for the allergic airway diseases in mice model. We also looked at the possible interaction with the currently used effective medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to develop features of allergic airway diseases mainly of bronchial inflammation. Atorvastatin was injected during or after the sensitization and challenge process to evaluate its protective or reversal effects, respectively. Total and differential cells in the BAL fluids together with IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 cytokine levels were evaluated. Total IgE and cholesterol levels in serum were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the protective phase, Atorvastatin inhibited the OVA-induced cellular infiltration of lung bronchi, decreased IL-4 and IL-5 and prevented the increase in IL-10 cytokine levels. Also, it reduced the OVA-induced high serum total IgE level. Injection of Atorvastatin after challenge was not effective in reversing the inflammatory process, with no major contribution towards augmenting the actions of Dexamethasone. The cholesterol lowering effect was marked in the protective phase while less effective for the reversal phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that Atorvastatin reduced the allergic inflammatory features in mice and it could be useful towards developing a better therapeutic regimen for the treatment of allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Tanta Faculty of Medicine, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed Nabih
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Abdel Rahman
authors.forename: Ahmed A M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdelmotelb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D011758:Pyrroles; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D003907:Dexamethasone; D010047:Ovalbumin; D002784:Cholesterol; D000069059:Atorvastatin