Background
Statins are derived from fungi metabolites and are able to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase in the mevalonate pathway. Based on this feature, statins are safely and successfully used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases correlated with hypercholesterolemia. Additionally, several studies have shown that statins have also pleiotropic effects, like anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombogenic, and anti-proliferative actions. Previously, we were able to show that statins have the potential to directly inhibit the ATP-binding cassette transporter B1 (ABCB1) which plays a key role in the chemoresistance of several tumor types [1].