Simvastatin

**Semantic type:** Organic Chemical|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A lipid-lowering agent derived synthetically from a fermentation product of the fungus Aspergillus terreus. Hydrolyzed in vivo to an active metabolite, simvastatin competitively inhibits hepatic hydroxymethyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a key step in cholesterol synthesis. This agent lowers plasma cholesterol and lipoprotein levels, and modulates immune responses by suppressing MHC II (major histocompatibility complex II) on interferon gamma-stimulated, antigen-presenting cells such as human vascular endothelial cells. (NCI04)

**Synonyms:** - MK 733 - SIMVASTATIN - Synvinolin - Zocor - [1S-[1alpha,3alpha,7beta,8beta(2S*,4S*),8abeta]]-1,2,3,7,8,8a-Hexahydro-3,7-dimethyl-8-[2-(tetrahydro-4-hydroxy-6-oxo-2H-pyran-2-yl)ethyl]-1-naphthalenyl 2,2-dimethylbutanoate