Lovastatin Inhibits Gallstone Formation in the Cholesterol-fed Prairie Dog

Abstract

The efficacy of lovastatin, an inhibitor of hepatic cholesterol synthesis in the prevention of cholesterol gallstone formation, was evaluated in the prairie dog model. Two groups of animals were maintained on either nonlithogenic or 1.2% cholesterol-enriched chow for 21 days. Seven of the animals in each group received lovastatin, and the remaining six received only distilled water. All of the cholesterol-fed/water-treated animals had crystals and 83% had gallstones, but none of the cholesterol-fed/lovastatin-treated animals had gallstones and only three had microscopic crystals. These data indicate that lovastatin inhibits cholesterol gallstone formation in a diet-induced model of gallstone disease.

Statin Use and the Risk of Cholecystectomy in Women

“…In addition, statins can beneficially raise plasma HDL cholesterol and decrease plasma triglycerides levels, and thereby may reduce the risk for gallstones (5, 14, 15). Statins decrease the cholesterol saturation index in duodenal bile in humans (16-19), and prevent formation of cholesterol gallstones in animal studies (20-22). These observations suggest that statins may reduce bile lithogenicity.…”

Establishment and Characterization of Primary Gallbladder Epithelial Cell Cultures in the Prairie Dog

“…For example, the relative concentrations of bile acids, cholesterol, and phospholipids in the prairie dog are similar to those reported in normal human bile [1]. Due to these unique characteristics, the prairie dog has become the most recognized species used to investigate the factors believed to possibly influence gallstone formation including gallbladder mucin hypersecretion [5], dietary manipulations [6 -9], and ethanol [10], aspirin [11], indomethacin [12], lovastatin [13], and octreotide administration [14,15]. Prairie dogs have also been utilized for in vivo studies of gallbladder motility [16,17], ion transport [18 -20], and absorption studies [21].…”

Prevention of cholesterol gallstones by inhibiting hepatic biosynthesis and intestinal absorption of cholesterol

“…After 3 weeks on a high‐cholesterol diet, all (100%) prairie dogs formed solid cholesterol crystals and 83% animals formed gallstones . In contrast, no gallstones were detected in prairie dogs treated with lovastatin (8 mg/kg, twice per day).…”