Mechanisms of action in the liver of crilvastatin, a new hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor

Crilvastatin is a drug from the pyrrolidone family that had been shown to induce non-competitive inhibition of rat hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase activity in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of crilvastatin on the hepatic metabolism of Cholesterol in rats. Crilvastatin increased low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol uptake by the liver more than high density lipoprotein (HDL) uptake, thus increasing by up 30% the clearance of excess plasma Cholesterol. In normolipidemic rats, crilvastatin significantly enhanced acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase and Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity. In rats with a previous high cholesterolemia, crilvastatin also enhanced Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and did not increase liver acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase activity. These findings suggest that a drug such as crilvastatin could have a hypocholesterolemic effect by a mechanism other than the sole inhibition of Cholesterol synthesis, possibly by stimulating Cholesterol and bile salt secretion via the biliary tract in previously hypercholesterolemic rats.