CAS: 99782-89-5

Mevastatin is a cholesterol-lowering drug that belongs to the class of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors. It is used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, which is an excess of cholesterol in the blood. Mevastatin inhibits the biosynthesis of cholesterol by competitively inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, which is an enzyme involved in the production of mevalonic acid from acetyl-CoA and acetoacetyl-CoA. This drug also inhibits the synthesis of pravastatin through a cytochrome P450 enzyme system. Mevastatin has been shown to inhibit transcriptional regulation in human skin fibroblasts and to downregulate mRNA levels for gene products involved in cellular proliferation.

Stability Hygroscopic Applications An active carboxylate of Mevastatin (M340500). It is a competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase with hypocholesterolemic activity. It has been shown to be effective in reducing cholesterol synthesis in vivo, and thereby in lowering cholesterol levels in blood. References Endo, A. et al.: Atheroscler. Supp., 5, 39 (2004); Hosobuchi, M. et al.: J. Ferm. Bioeng., 76, 470 (1993);