Pravastatin is a carboxylic ester formed by the condensation of (S)-2-methylbutyric acid with the hydroxy group adjacent to the ring junction of (3R,5R)-7-[(1S,2S,6S,8S,8aR)-6,8-dihydroxy-2-methyl-1,2,6,7,8,8a-hexahydronaphthalen-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxyheptanoic acid. Derived from microbial transformation of mevastatin, it is a reversible inhibitor of HMG-CoA. The sodium salt is used to lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease. It is a lower potency statin with fewer side effects compared to lovastatin and simvastatin. It functions as a metabolite, anticholesteremic drug, xenobiotic, and environmental contaminant. It is a 3-hydroxy carboxylic acid, hydroxy monocarboxylic acid, carboxylic ester, secondary alcohol, carbobicyclic compound, and statin (semi-synthetic). It is functionally related to (3R,5R)-7-[(1S,2S,6S,8S,8aR)-6,8-dihydroxy-2-methyl-1,2,6,7,8,8a-hexahydronaphthalen-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxyheptanoic acid and (S)-2-methylbutyric acid. It is the conjugate acid of pravastatin(1-).
