Simvastatin

"Simvastatin (INN) ( /ˈsɪmvəstætɨn/) is a hypolipidemic drug used to control elevated cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia. It is a member of thestatin class of pharmaceuticals."

"Simvastatin is a synthetic derivative of a fermentation product of Aspergillus terreus. The drug is marketed generically and under the trade name Zocor."

"All statins act by inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, themetabolic pathway responsible for the endogenous production of cholesterol. Statins are more effective than other lipid-regulating drugs at lowering LDL-cholesterol concentration, but they are less effective than the fibrates in reducing triglyceride concentration. However, statins reduce cardiovascular disease events and total mortality irrespective of the initial cholesterol concentration. This is a major evidence that the statins works in another way than the lowering of cholesterol (called pleitropic effects)."