Inhibitors of sterol synthesis. Effect of dietary 5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-3 beta-ol-15-one on ACAT activity of jejunal microsomes of the rat.

Dietary administration (0.1% in a chow diet for 8 days) of 5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-3 beta-ol-15-one, a potent inhibitor of sterol biosynthesis with marked hypocholesterolemic action, to rats caused a 77% reduction in the levels of acyl co-enzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase activity of jejunal microsomes relative to those observed in pair-fed control animals. No differences were observed in mean levels of cholesterol concentration in jejunal microsomes of experimental and pair-fed control animals.