Pravastatin

Pravastatin is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. Pravastatin binds to HMG-CoA reductase and inhibits its conversion of HMG-CoA into mevalonate, thereby reducing cholesterol synthesis in the liver. As intracellular cholesterol levels in hepatocytes decline, expression of LDL receptors on hepatocytes is upregulated, enhancing the uptake and breakdown of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from the blood. As a result, plasma levels of LDL-C, total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and triglycerides decrease, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) may increase slightly.