Influence of Nicotinic Acid on Hepatic Cholesterol Synthesis in Rabbits.

Abstract

1) The mechanism by which ingestion of large amounts of nicotinic acid lowers serum cholesterol in rabbits has been investigated. The rate at which cholesterol is synthesized from acetate-1-C¹⁴ by liver slices from animals on control or cholesterol supplemented diets, with or without nicotinic acid., has been measured. 2) There is marked inhibition of the rate of cholesterol synthesis by liver slices from animals fed nicotinic acid on both control and supplemented diets. Since the principal detoxication product of large doses of nicotinic acid is nicotinuric acid, it is possible that this inhibition of cholesterol synthesis occurs as a direct result of competition of lipid synthesizing and detoxication systems for a limiting amount of Co A in the liver cell.