lovastatin

[loh-vuh-stat-n]

noun

1. a drug, C 24 H 36 O 8 , that reduces the levels of fats in the blood by altering the enzyme activity in the liver that produces lipids.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lovastatin¹

First recorded in 1985–90; a pharmaceutical coinage

Example Sentences

A single dose of ADC therapy combined with lovastatin was found to reduce tumor volume at rates similar to those resulting from multiple doses of ADC in a preclinical setting.

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“Similarly, grapefruit juice has a well-established interaction with both simvastatin and lovastatin that can lead to myopathy or rhabdomyolysis. Eating a grapefruit instead of drinking the juice will not avoid the interaction.”

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Antidepressants and antihypertensives have been shown to have antiviral properties; lovastatin, which is prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, has been found to be effective, at least in mice, against plague.

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Fungi are the basis for many drugs, including the antibiotic penicillin, the immunosuppressant cyclosporine and the cholesterol buster lovastatin, so Blanchette wondered if these Antarctic species might produce any useful molecules.

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The problem with red yeast rice is that it contains the same chemical compound as lovastatin, which means you need to have your liver function monitored.

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