Do you really know about atherosclerosis drugs?

Atherosclerosis is one of the diseases that middle-aged and elderly people are prone to. There are many kinds of drugs for treating atherosclerosis, but these drugs for treating atherosclerosis cannot be taken at home by yourself. They still need to be taken under the guidance of a professional doctor.

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase is the rate-limiting enzyme for cholesterol synthesis. Inhibiting its activity can inhibit cholesterol synthesis in liver cells and reduce cholesterol content. HMG-CoA inhibitors, also known as statins, were obtained from mold culture fluid by Endo et al. in 1976 and are currently a new type of drug for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Among them, mevastatin and lovastatin were isolated from fungal cultures. Pravastatin and simvastatin are artificial semi-synthetic products. Fluvastatin and atorvastatin are recent synthetic products. Except for mevastatin, these drugs are widely used in clinical practice. This class of drugs is very effective in lowering plasma cholesterol. Their chemical structures are as follows.

Lovastatin

Lovastatin is a fungal metabolite extracted from the culture broth of Monascus purpurogenus. After oral administration, it is hydrolyzed, the lactone ring opens, and becomes an active hydroxy acid. It is the first effective HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor used in clinical practice.

2. Effect on vascular smooth muscle Lovastatin can inhibit the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells and reduce the synthesis of collagen fibers. It is currently the most powerful drug in this category. Its mechanism has not yet been elucidated, but it may be related to its ability to enhance the expression of certain inhibitory proteins and regulate the Ca2+ content in vascular smooth muscle cells.

I believe that after reading so much, everyone has a certain understanding of anti-atherosclerosis drugs. I hope that what the editor has compiled can be helpful to everyone.