EFFECT OF PIOGLITAZONE AND GEMFIBROZIL ADMINISTRATION ON C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS IN NON-DIABETIC HYPERLIPIDEMIC RATS

OBJECTIVES: To assess and compare anti-inflammatory effect of pioglitazone and gemfibrozil by measuring C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in high fat fed non-diabetic rats. METHODS: A comparative animal study was conducted at the Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan in which 27 adult healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were used. The rats were divided into three groups. Hyperlipidemia was induced in all three groups by giving hyperlipidemic diet containing cholesterol 1.5%, coconut oil 8.0% and sodium cholate 1.0%. After four weeks, Group A (control) was given distilled water, Group B was given pioglitazone 10mg/kg body weight and Group C was given gemfibrozil 10mg/kg body weight as single morning dose by oral route for four weeks. CRP was th th estimated at zero, 4 and 8 week. RESULTS: There was significant increase in the level of CRP after giving high lipid diet from (mean±SD) 2.59±0.28mg/L, 2.63±0.32mg/L and 2.67±0.23mg/L at 0 week to 3.55±0.44mg/L, 3.59±0.34mg/L and th 3.6±0.32mg/L at 4 week in groups A, B and C respectively. Multiple comparisons by ANOVA revealed significant difference between th groups at 8 week only. Post hoc analysis disclosed that CRP level was significantly low in pioglitazone treated group having mean±SD of 2.93±0.33mg/L compared to control group 4.42±0.30mg/L and gemfibrozil group 4.28±0.39mg/L. The p-value in each case was 0.001, while difference between control and gemfibrozil was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pioglitazone is effective in reducing hyperlipidemia associated inflammation, evidenced by decreased CRP level while gemfibrozil is not effective.