Tissue selectivity of pravastatin sodium, lovastatin and simvastatin

Tissue selectivity of pravastatin sodium (pravastatin), lovastatin and simvastatin, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors was examined by measuring inhibition of de novo sterol synthesis and active drug concentrations in the liver, spleen and testis in rats after a single oral administration (25 mg/kg) of these drugs. Regarding tissue drug concentrations, all three drugs were liver selective: concentrations of drugs in the liver were about ten-times higher than those in the spleen and testis. On the other hand, pravastatin was far more liver selective in inhibiting sterol synthesis than two other inhibitors: pravastatin inhibited de novo sterol synthesis in the liver but minimally in the spleen and testis, whereas lovastatin and simvastatin inhibited in all three tissues. Microautoradiographic and in vitro cellular-uptake studies demonstrated that pravastatin remained in the extracellular space in the spleen, whereas the other drugs entered the cell. We conclude that pravastatin exhibits a liver-selective inhibition of sterol synthesis because the agent permeates the cell membrane in the liver, but not in non-hepatic tissues.