Lovastatin

Lovastatin
Clinical data
Trade names	Mevacor, Altocor, others
Other names	Monacolin K, Mevinolin
AHFS/Drugs.com	Monograph
MedlinePlus	a688006
License data	US DailyMed: Lovastatin;
Routes of; administration	By mouth
ATC code	C10AA02 (WHO) ;
Legal status
Legal status	US: ℞-only;
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	<5%
Protein binding	>98%
Metabolism	Liver (CYP3A and CYP2C8 substrate)
Elimination half-life	2–5 hours
Excretion	Faeces (83%), urine (10%)
Identifiers
	IUPAC name (1S,3R,7S,8S,8aR)-8-{2-[(2R,4R)-4-Hydroxy-6-oxooxan-2-yl]ethyl}-3,7-dimethyl-1,2,3,7,8,8a-hexahydronaphthalen-1-yl (2S)-2-methylbutanoate;
CAS Number	75330-75-5 ;
PubChem CID	53232;
IUPHAR/BPS	2739;
DrugBank	DB00227 ;
ChemSpider	48085 ;
UNII	9LHU78OQFD;
KEGG	D00359 ;
ChEBI	CHEBI:40303 ;
ChEMBL	ChEMBL503 ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID5020784 ;
ECHA InfoCard	100.115.931
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C24H36O5
Molar mass	404.547 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
	SMILES O=C(O[C@@H]1[C@H]3C(=C/[C@H](C)C1)\C=C/[C@@H]([C@@H]3CC[C@H]2OC(=O)C[C@H](O)C2)C)[C@@H](C)CC;
	InChI InChI=1S/C24H36O5/c1-5-15(3)24(27)29-21-11-14(2)10-17-7-6-16(4)20(23(17)21)9-8-19-12-18(25)13-22(26)28-19/h6-7,10,14-16,18-21,23,25H,5,8-9,11-13H2,1-4H3/t14-,15-,16-,18+,19+,20-,21-,23-/m0/s1 ; Key:PCZOHLXUXFIOCF-BXMDZJJMSA-N ;
	(verify)

Lovastatin, sold under the brand name Mevacor among others, is a statin medication, to treat high blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Its use is recommended together with lifestyle changes. It is taken by mouth.

Common side effects include diarrhea, constipation, headache, muscles pains, rash, and trouble sleeping. Serious side effects may include liver problems, muscle breakdown, and kidney failure. Use during pregnancy may harm the baby and use during breastfeeding is not recommended. It works by decreasing the liver's ability to produce cholesterol by blocking the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase.

Lovastatin was patented in 1979 and approved for medical use in 1987. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It is available as a generic medication. In 2022, it was the 111th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 5 million prescriptions.