Comparative pharmacokinetics of lovastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin in humans.
Twelve healthy male volunteers received single market-image 40-mg oral doses of lovastatin and simvastatin (both lactone prodrugs), or pravastatin (a beta-hydroxyacid) at 1 week intervals in a three-way crossover study to quantify HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in plasma. Multiple plasma samples were collected up to 24 hours after the dose and assayed for active and total HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. After equal oral doses, higher plasma concentrations of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory activity after pravastatin than after either lovastatin of simvastatin (2-3 fold greater area under the concentration-time curve) suggest a greater potential availability of pravastatin-related inhibitory activity to peripheral tissues.
Pentikainen
P J
PJ
Third Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Saraheimo
M
M
Schwartz
J I
JI
Amin
R D
RD
Schwartz
M S
MS
Brunner-Ferber
F
F
Rogers
J D
JD
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019821:Simvastatin
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008148:Lovastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D017035:Pravastatin