Effect of simvastatin on fatty acids composition of erythrocyte membranes in women with chronic form of coronary heart disease

Abstract

23 women with a chronic form of coronary heart disease (CHD) were examined before and after two months of taking simvastatin at doses of 40 and 80 mg/day. Regardless of the dosage the reduction in total cholesterol (TC) level, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherogenic index (Al) was found that pointed at the strengthening of receptor-mediated endocytosis in LDL-C cells with all portable fatty acids (FA) in them by apoB-100 cells, in various forms of esters. The spectrum of FA in the erythrocyte membrane phospholipids (FL) was researched by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Redistribution of FA was revealed after treatment with different doses: reduction of the unsaturation index (UI) of the membranes erythrocytes indicated a violation of physical, chemical and functional properties of cell membranes. The content of the FA-membrane substrates and substrates of vitamin F, triglycerol substrates (TGL) decreased and FA-energy substrates cells increased. Probably, the ability of statins to activate the desaturase enzymes had an effect of the increasing of long-chain ω-9 FA content. In this case the reduction of oleic ω-9 FA influenced the reduction of TGL. Unlike doses of 40 mg/day treatment at a dosage of 80 mg/day in women resulted the increase of relation ω-3/ω-6 LC and the decrease of dihomo-γ-linolenic LCD. It indicated the formation of favorable conditions of the normalization of cell function in vivo. Under these conditions the level of palmitic FA and, correspondingly, the activity of atheromatosis decreased.