Hypolipidemic efects of nimesulide and celecoxib in experimentally induced hypercholesterolemia in rabbits

Abstract

Background/aim: Hypercholesterolemia plays an important role in the development of atherosclerotic disease, which is one of theleading causes of mortality in the world. Previous studies showed that cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors could be used in treatinghypercholesterolemia. Te present study was designed to test whether COX-2 inhibition can improve lipid profles in hypercholesterolemia.Materials and methods: Rabbits were fed a high-cholesterol diet to produce hypercholesterolemia. Te role of COX-2 was evaluatedusing celecoxib and nimesulide. Rabbits were divided into 4 groups: the frst with normal healthy rabbits, second with high-cholesteroldiet and pretreatment with saline, third with high-cholesterol diet and pretreatment with celecoxib, and fourth with high-cholesterol dietand pretreatment with nimesulide. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceridelevels were measured at 2-week intervals in all the groups.Results: Results show signifcantly high levels of serum cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride but low levels of HDL in hypercholesterolemicrabbits pretreated with saline. Rabbits pretreated with nimesulide and celecoxib showed improvement compared to the saline-treatedgroup.Conclusion: Improvement of lipid profle by celecoxib in hypercholesterolemic rabbits indicates the detrimental role of COX-2 duringatherogenesis. However, the observed efects of nimesulide and celecoxib in hypercholesterolemia may be independent of their abilityto inhibit COX-2. Nevertheless, both celecoxib and nimesulide show lipid-lowering potential in experimental hypercholesterolemia.