How fungus stuff lowers cholesterol
Competitive inhibition of 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme a reductase by ML‐236A and ML‐236B fungal metabolites, having hypocholesterolemic activity
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
ML-236A and ML-236B inhibit only HMG-CoA reductase and no other enzymes in the cholesterol pathway.
Many early metabolic inhibitors had off-target effects, so such specificity was rare and promising at the time.
Practical Takeaways
Understanding how statins originated from fungal compounds may increase appreciation for natural product drug discovery.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
ML-236A and ML-236B inhibit only HMG-CoA reductase and no other enzymes in the cholesterol pathway.
Many early metabolic inhibitors had off-target effects, so such specificity was rare and promising at the time.
Practical Takeaways
Understanding how statins originated from fungal compounds may increase appreciation for natural product drug discovery.
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Related Content
Claims (4)
The liver makes cholesterol using a key enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, and if we block that enzyme, it lowers the 'bad' cholesterol in your blood.
These two substances from fungi might lower cholesterol by blocking a key enzyme the body uses to make it — at least in lab tests.
These two compounds probably block a key enzyme by sticking to its active spot, kind of like plugging up a lock so the key can't fit — and they do it in a way that can be undone, at least in lab tests.
These two compounds seem to specifically target one key enzyme that makes cholesterol, without messing with the other parts of the process — at least in lab tests.