Mevacor (Molecule of the Month for May 2000)
Lovastatin
Mevacor is a brand name of a drug called Lovastatin. There are many other brand names under which the same drug is known, some examples of these are; Lipivas, Lovalip Mevinacor, Nergadan, Rovacor and Taucor.
It is a white, crystalline powder that is insoluble in water and sparingly so in ethanol, methanol, acetonitrile and DMSO. Mevacor is manufactured by MERCK + Co, INC. Merck is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company. It develops and manufactures a broad range of human and animal drugs.
Mevacor is a new type of medicine that lowers cholesterol. Mevacor prevents the formation of LDL-cholesterol (low density lipoprotein). High levels of LDL-cholesterol cause Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). This is the number one killer in the Western world. Mevacor is known not only to slow down or stop but also to reverse the effects of Atherosclerosis.
Formal Chemical Name (IUPAC)
(1S-(1alpha(R), 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-naphthyl) 2-methylbutanoate
click on the picture of Mevacor above to interact
with the 3D model of the
Mevacor structure
(this will open a new browser window)
C24H36O5
Update by Karl Harrison
(Molecule of the Month for
May 2000
)
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