The hypolipidemic activity of benzenetricarboxylic acids in rodents.

A series of benzenetricarboxylic acids was shown to be potent hypolipidemic agents in rodents. Terephthalic acid proved to be one of the more potent agents, lowering serum cholesterol 42% and serum triglyceride 33 % at 20 mg/kg/day for 16 days. The ability to lower serum lipids by this agent appeared to be due to multiple modes of action: (1) terephthalic acid suppressed the activities both in vivo and in vitro of a number of regulatory enzymes involved in cholesterol, fatty acid, and triglyceride syntheses; (2) the drug inhibited cholesterol absorption from the GI tract by 43 %; and (3) the drug accelerated lipid excretion in the feces leading to a reduction of cholesterol in the tissue. Terephthalic acid was effective in lowering lipids in normal and hyperlipidemic animals and possessed a safe therapeutic index.