Zocor, structure

The high-value HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor Simvastatin (8) is marketed by Merck under the name Zocor. The active ingredient is obtained from a fermentation approach. It is very similar in structure to lovastatin, which has fallen from the top-sellers list. Lovastatin (9) is also a cholesterol-reducing drug that is isolated from Aspergillus terreus.51-60 It is still obtained by fermentation,61 and with the current advances in molecular biology,62 64 chemical approaches are not able to compete in a cost-effective manner.65-67 The usage of lipases allows for the manipulation of the butyric acid sidechain to access other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors such as simvastatin.68 A number of routes to various portions of lovastatin have been reported.69... 

Several drugs are now available to reduce the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream. These compounds act by blocking the biosynthesis of cholesterol at its very early stages. Two examples include atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor), whose structures appear in Figure 29.12. 

Fig. 3. Chemical structures of HMG-CoA and several statin inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase. Atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), and pravastatin (Pravachol) are widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Fig. 3.6 Chemical structures of GMi ganglioside and statins. GMi ganglioside (a) atorvastatin (Lipitor) (b) and simvastatin (Zocor) (c)...

F. 7.2 Chemical structures of statins. Rosuvastatin (Crestor) (a) simvastatin (Zocor) (b) pravastatin (Pravachol) (c) and pitavastatin (d)... 

Fig. 9.7 Chemical structures of statins. Lipitor (a) crestor (b) zocor (c) pravachof (d) and compactin (e)...

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