5 alpha-Cholest-8(14)-en-3 beta-ol-15-one, a potent inhibitor of sterol biosynthesis, lowers serum cholesterol and alters distributions of cholesterol in lipoproteins in baboons.

5 alpha-Cholest-8(14)-en-3 beta-0l-15-one has been found to have significant hypocholesterolemic action on oral administration to baboons at dosages of 50 and 75 mg/kg of body weight. The 15-ketosterol decreased the levels of total serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein plus very low density lipoprotein (LDL/VLDL) cholesterol and the percentage of total cholesterol associated with LDL/VLDL and increased the percentage of total cholesterol associated with high density lipoprotein (HDL). Moreover, administration of the steroid was associated with an absolute increase in the concentration of HDL cholesterol in those animals with low HDL levels (or with a low percentage of total serum cholesterol in the HDL fraction.