As the desired LDL-C goals keep getting lowered, role of combination therapy with statins is emerging in clinical practice in the management of coronary artery disease. Hydroxychloroquine, a disease modifying antirheumatic drug in rheumatoid arthritis, offers beneficial lipid lowering effects along with other effects. In present study we evaluated the antihyperlipidemic effect of hydroxychloroquine and atorvastatin combination in rats. Thirty male Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g were divided into five groups consisting of six rats each viz. group-1 (Normal), group-2 (hyperlipidemia control), group-3 atorvastatin (10mg/kg), group-4 hydroxycholorquine (200mg/kg) and group-5 (atorvastatin 10 mg/kg + hydroxychloroquine 200 mg/kg). Study drugs were administered orally once daily for 7 days. After 1 h of the administration of last dose of study drugs, Triton WR 1339 (100 mg/kg) was administered intraperitonialy to groups 2 to 5 to induce hyperlipidemia. Serum lipid parameters like TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C and HDL-C were determined after 7 days of test drug administration. The combination of hydroxychloroquine and atorvastatin enhanced the antihyperlipidemic activity of atorvastatin as evidenced by reduction in serum TG (36% vs 32.5%), TC (32.2% vs 25%), LDL-C (51% vs 38.2%), VLDL-C (36.1% vs 32.5%) and increase in HDL-C (35.2% vs 26.5%). In addition to this the combination also reduced the atherogenic index (2.049) significantly (p<0.05) as compared to hyperlipidemia control group (5.083). Addition of hydroxychloroquine to atorvastatin enhances the antihyperlipidemic activity of atorvastatin in Triton WR 1339 induced hyperlipidemia in rats, with more pronounced effects on LDL-C.
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