Evaluation of Orally Administered Atorvastatin on Plasma Lipid and Biochemistry Profiles in Hypercholesterolemic Hispaniolan Amazon Parrots ()

Authors

Jessica A. Robertson, William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
David Sanchez-Migallon Guzman, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA, guzman@ucdavis.edu.
James L. Graham, Department of Nutrition, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Kimber L. Stanhope, Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Jamie M. Douglas, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
Peter J. Havel, Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Hugues Beaufrère, Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1.
Heather Knych, Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Thomas N. Tully, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-8410, USA.
Joanne R. Paul-Murphy, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-29-2020

Abstract

Atorvastatin is a synthetic statin administered in its active form and used for the treatment of dyslipidemias. In the current study, the effects of atorvastatin were evaluated on plasma lipid profiles and the potential for adverse effects after once daily PO dosing of atorvastatin for 30 days in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (). Sixteen adult parrots (10 female, 6 male) with hypercholesterolemia were used for this study. Birds were assigned to 2 groups (treatment and control) of 8 parrots each (3 male, 5 female) after balancing for age, sex, originating institution, and baseline plasma cholesterol values. Compounded atorvastatin oral suspension (10 mg/kg) was administered PO once daily via gavage into the crop. Equivalent volumes of placebo suspension were administered to the control group. Plasma biochemistry and plasma lipid profile analysis (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], and triglycerides [TGs]) were analyzed on days 0, 14, and 30. Plasma samples and HDL-C fractions were evaluated for cholesterol and TG concentrations via enzymatic assays. Subtraction of HDL-C values from total cholesterol yielded the non-HDL-C concentration for each bird. Birds were routinely assessed for appetite, activity, and urofeces. Plasma atorvastatin concentrations were obtained from 7 of 8 birds in the treatment group from banked samples. Those samples were obtained on days 14 and 30, with drug administration 6 to 8 hours before collection. No significant differences were observed in total cholesterol, HDL-C, non-HDL-C, or TG between treatment and control groups at days 0, 14, and 30. Plasma atorvastatin concentrations were variable on day 14 (0.54-5.41 ng/ mL for 6 of 7 samples, with 1 outlier of 307 ng/mL) and on day 30 (0.79-6.74 ng/mL). No adverse effects were noted in any of the birds during the study period. When dosed PO at 10 mg/kg once daily, atorvastatin did not result in significant changes to plasma lipid profiles (eg, lowering of plasma total or non-HDL-C concentrations) at any time point during this study. Future studies to investigate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of atorvastatin in parrots may require increased doses and/or frequency of administration.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Journal of avian medicine and surgery

First Page

32

Last Page

40

Recommended Citation

Robertson, J. A., Guzman, D. S., Graham, J. L., Stanhope, K. L., Douglas, J. M., Havel, P. J., Beaufrère, H., Knych, H., Tully, T. N., & Paul-Murphy, J. R. (2020). Evaluation of Orally Administered Atorvastatin on Plasma Lipid and Biochemistry Profiles in Hypercholesterolemic Hispaniolan Amazon Parrots (). Journal of avian medicine and surgery, 34 (1), 32-40. https://doi.org/10.1647/1082-6742-34.1.32