Fibric acid derivatives 

Fibric acid derivatives or fibrates are regarded as broad-spectrum lipid lowering drugs. Their main action is to decrease triglyceride levels but they also tend to reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and help to raise high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Fibrates appear to activate a protein called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-alpha). PPAR-alpha activates the enzyme lipoprotein lipase and ultimately results in decreased formation of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol (which is converted into LDL cholesterol) and triglycerides and an increase in HDL cholesterol.

Clofibrate (kloe fye’ brate) is a fibric acid derivative. The lipid lowering activity of clofibrate is probably mediated by its interactions with the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα), which regulates gene expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation.