Abstract: Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of atorvastatin on pulmonary fibrosis of rats induced by Bleomycin(BLM). Methods 42 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: the control group(group C), the model group which was furtherly divided into group 2-week(M2), 4-week(M4), 6-week(M6), and atorvastatin-treatment group which was furtherly divided into group 2-week(A2), 4-week(A4), 6-week(A6). Each had 6 rats. Group M and A were induced to pulmonary fibrosis by the method of BLM endotracheal injection, while the group C was injectted with the saline. On 2nd day, group A were given orally atorvastatin by 10mg/ kg. d. Rats were seperately killed on 2nd, 4th and 6th week. After intratracheal injection of BLM. Alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis were evaluated by pathology, hydroxypmline concentration and PaO2. Results The lung coefficient of group M2, M4, A2 and A4 was higher significantly than group C. The degree of pulmonary fibrosis in group A4 and A6 was improved compared with group M4, M6. Alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis in group A were improved compared with those in group M．Hydroxypmline concentration in group A and M were significantly higher than that in group C. while A4 was lower than M4 (P<0.01). There was a increase in PaO2 after exposure to BLM, especially the group M2 (P<0.01). Improvement in PaO2 was observed in groups A, compared with M. Conclusion Atorvastatin had effective treatment on pulmonary fibrosis of rats. The effect was significant on 6th week after treatment, which suggest that the effect maybe correlated positively to the treatment duration.

Key words: Bleomycin, Pulmonary fibrosis, Rat, Atorvastatin