Cholesterol absorption inhibitor

Cholesterol absorption inhibitors are a class of compounds that prevent the uptake of cholesterol from the small intestine into the circulatory system.Most of these molecules are monobactams but show no antibiotic activity. An example is ezetimibe (SCH 58235) Another example is Sch-48461. The 'Sch' is for Schering-Plough, where these compounds were developed.Phytosterols are also cholesterol absorption inhibitors. Cholesterol absorption inhibitors are a class of compounds that prevent the uptake of cholesterol from the small intestine into the circulatory system.Most of these molecules are monobactams but show no antibiotic activity. An example is ezetimibe (SCH 58235) Another example is Sch-48461. The 'Sch' is for Schering-Plough, where these compounds were developed.Phytosterols are also cholesterol absorption inhibitors. There are two sources of cholesterol in the upper intestine: dietary (from food) and biliary (from bile). Dietary cholesterol, in the form of lipid emulsions, combines with bile salts, to form bile salt micelles from which cholesterol can then be absorbed by the intestinal enterocyte. Once absorbed by the enterocyte, cholesterol is reassembled into intestinal lipoproteins called chylomicrons. These chylomicrons are then secreted into the lymphatics and circulated to the liver. These cholesterol particles are then secreted by the liver into the blood as VLDL particles, precursors to LDL.