Pitavastatin inhibits hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis model rats

Aim: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may progress to liver cirrhosis, and NASH patients with liver cirrhosis are at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, are well known to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease and other major vascular events by anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects, and antiproliferative properties in colorectal cancers have also been reported. Recently, statins have been reported to improve hepatic steatosis; however, the effect on fibrosis is controversial. Methods: The effects of pitavastatin (one of the strongest statins) were examined using a choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet liver fibrosis model. Results: Pitavastatin significantly attenuated increases in serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, pre-neoplastic lesions (glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive lesions), expression of cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and transforming growth factor-beta 1, and the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and type I procollagen genes followed by attenuating fibrosis of the liver of CDAA-fed rats. Conclusion: These results indicate that pitavastatin may inhibit steatosis, hepatic fibrosis and carcinogenesis in rat model of NASH.