atorvastatin

Atorvastatin is an orally active HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, with the ability to effectively decrease blood lipids via the mevalonate pathway. Apart from the primary function of lowering plasma cholesterol levels, Atorvastatin also shows beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, predominantly via inhibition of small GTPases (e.g. Ras and Rho). These G proteins are extensively involved in the mechanism of diverse cardiovascular pathologies, and inhibition of Ras/Rho underlies many of the cholesterol-independent effects of Atorvastatin on the vascular wall. In addition, Atorvastatin has been shown to inhibit abdominal aortic aneurysm formation by inhibiting the endoplasmic reticulum stress signal pathway.

References:

1. Nawrocki JW, Weiss SR, Davidson MH, et al. Reduction of LDL cholesterol by 25% to 60% in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia by atorvastatin, a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 1995, 15(5): 678-682.

2. Turner NA, Midgley L, O'Regan DJ, et al. Comparison of the efficacies of five different statins on inhibition of human saphenous vein smooth muscle cell proliferation and invasion. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, 2007, 50(4): 458-461.

3. Li Y, Lu G, Sun D, et al. Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling pathway: A new mechanism of statins to suppress the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm. PLoS One, 2017, 12(4): e0174821.