Possible Interaction: Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Simvastatin

“Thus, simvastatin lowered serum fatty acid concentrations while also altering the relative percentages of important PUFAs.”

“ Simvastatin (20 mg day-1) produced a significant decrease in saturated fatty acid and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid in triglycerides in VLDL.”

“ Simvastatin , in contrast to fenofibrate caused a slight decrease in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the three other lipoprotein fractions, and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids.”

“Conclusions—Increased formation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites may contribute a substantial part of the pleiotropic effects of simvastatin.”

“ Simvastatin enhances the conversion of linoleic acid to their long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid derivatives , e.g. arachidonic acid, in addition to typically inhibiting the de novo cholesterol synthesis, in cultured cells.”

“In the monocytic THP-1 cells, the …-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor simvastatin (5 microM) enhances the conversion of exogenous linoleic (18:2 … eicosapentaenoic (20:5 n-3) acids to their long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) derivatives, and this effect … changes in the desaturation steps.”

“In the monocytic cells THP-1, the biosynthesis of LC-PUFA is also enhanced by treatment with the HMGCoA reductase inhibitor simvastatin (S), an effect which is reverted by mevalonate and other intermediates of cholesterol synthesis.”