Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory response of the arterial wall to pro‑atherosclerotic factors. As an inflammatory marker,
fibrinogen directly participates in the pathogenesis of
atherosclerosis. Our previous study demonstrated that
fibrinogen and
fibrin degradation products (
FDP) produce a pro‑inflammatory effect on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through inducing the production of interleukin‑6 (IL‑6),
tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α) and
inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In the present study, the effects of
pravastatin on fibrinogen‑ and FDP‑induced expression of IL‑6, TNF‑α and iNOS were observed in VSMCs. The results showed that
pravastatin dose‑dependently inhibited fibrinogen‑ and FDP‑stimulated expression of IL‑6, TNF‑α and iNOS in VSMCs at the
mRNA and
protein level. The maximal inhibition of
protein expression of IL‑6, TNF‑α and iNOS was 46.9, 42.7 and 49.2% in fibrinogen‑stimulated VSMCs, and 50.2, 49.8 and 53.6% in FDP‑stimulated VSMCs, respectively. This suggests that
pravastatin has the ability to relieve vascular
inflammation via inhibiting the generation of IL‑6, TNF‑α and iNOS. The results of the present study may aid in further explaining the beneficial effects of
pravastatin on
atherosclerosis and related
cardiovascular diseases. In addition, they suggest that application of
pravastatin may be beneficial for prevention of
atherosclerosis formation in hyperfibrinogenemia.