Development of liposomal formulations to potentiate natural lovastatin inhibitory activity towards 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) reductase

Liposomal formulations were obtained mixing 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) with synthetic lovastatin or lovastatin extracted from Red Yeast Rice (RYR) to prepare a vehicle able to overcome both the disadvantage of lovastatin, i.e its poor oral bioavailability and side effects. Liposomal formulation obtained combining DOPC, DOPE and hydro-alcoholic extract of RYR showed optimal physico-chemical, mechanical and thermal characteristics and the strongest inhibition activity versus 3-hydroxy-3-Methyl glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase.