Effects of simvastatin associated with exercise on the mechanical resistance of muscle and bone in rats()

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of simvastatin on mechanical properties of muscle and bone in hypercholesterolemic rats submitted to physical exercise. METHODS: Ten male Wistar rats were submitted to a high-fat diet rich in cholesterol for 90 days. The animals were then divided into two groups: animals treated with physical exercise (EG) and animals treated with physical exercise and simvastatin (ESG). Protocols for physical exercise in water and simvastatin administration were performed for eight weeks. After this period, the animals were euthanized; the left tibia and right gastrocnemius muscle were dissected for mechanical analysis, and the right tibia for densitometry. The data were analyzed using Student's t-test, considering a level of significance of 5%. RESULTS: The comparison of maximum load and stiffness revealed no significant differences between the groups for both the tibia (p = 0.851 and p = 0.259) and the gastrocnemius (p = 0.911 and p = 0.083). The tibia BMD also showed no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.803). CONCLUSION: Simvastatin had no negative effects on mechanical properties in tibia and gastrocnemius of hypercholesterolemic rats submitted to physical exercise.