Relative potencies of statins in reducing cholesterol synthesis and enhancing linoleic acid metabolism.

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. The dose-response relationships for the above effects show that simvastatin, atorvastatin and fluvastatin affect linoleic acid conversion and the delta5 desaturase step more potently than the synthesis of cholesterol, simvastatin being the most effective in inhibiting sterol synthesis, whereas atorvastatin in stimulating the conversion of linoleic acid.