Statin Therapy Against Rheumatoid Arthritis

Filed in archive Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics on January 30, 2006

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes proliferation of that tissue which lines the joints, referred to as synovial tissue. In theory, compounds which can induce apoptosis, or cell death, should be able to help control the proliferation of synovial tissues.

In a study published in the February issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, scientists measured the effect in vitro of two statins ( a class of drugs originally designed to treat high cholesterol): fluvastatin (a fat-soluble statin) and pravastatin (a water-soluble statin) on human synovial cells and were able to demostrate that fluvastatin does induce apoptosis of synoviocytes.

The authors conclude: 'The induction of apoptosis in RA synovial cells by fluvastatin and the biologic antiatherosclerotic properties of the statins suggest that they may turn out to be ideal therapeutic agents in RA. Based on these results, we propose that the statins warrant clinical trials as potential modifiers of RA."

Source: ScienceDailySuggested Readings: Articles on statin therapy in rheumatoid arthritis
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