Intraperitoneal administration of rosuvastatin prevents postoperative peritoneal adhesions by decreasing the release of tumor necrosis factor.

Objectives: The purpose of this experimental study was to demonstrate the reduction of peritoneal adhesions formation in rats after intraperitoneal administration of rosuvastatin, due to its anti-inflammatory effect.

Method: Peritoneal adhesions were induced in 120 Wistar-Bratislava rats divided into 4 groups (n=30), using a parietal and visceral (cecal) abrasion model. Group I was designated as control group; in group II, a saline solution was administered intraperitoneally; in groups III and IV, a single dose of rosuvastatin solution, 10 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg respectively, was injected intraperitoneally. The serum values of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1α) were determined on day 1 and day 7 postoperatively (ELISA). Macroscopic assessment of the peritoneal adhesions was conducted on day 14.

Results: Rosuvastatin therapy induced a significant decrease of tumor necrosis factor serum levels in groups III and IV, on day 1 and day 7 (p<0.01). Intraperitoneal administration of rosuvastatin correlated with a decrease of mean interleukin-1α levels on postoperative day 1 in groups III (p=0.0013) and IV (p=0.00011), but not on day 7, where the differences were no longer statistically significant (p=0.8) The reduction of postoperative peritoneal adhesions in the experimental rat model is supported by the anti-inflammatory effect of rosuvastatin, mediated mainly by the tumor necrosis factor.

Conclusions: Rosuvastatin prevents the formation of postoperative peritoneal adhesions in rats. This effect may be linked to the inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines release in the early stages of adhesions formation. The present study suggests that rosuvastatin may be an efficient pharmacological agent in the prevention of postoperative peritoneal adhesions development, and requires further studies as it has a promising application value.