EFFECT OF CHOLESTEROL SYNTHESIS INHIBITION IN NORMOCHOLESTEREMIC YOUNG MEN*

Abstract

Recently the concept of using specific inhibitors of endogenous cholesterol synthesis as a means of reducing the cholesterol content of the body has been reviewed (1). One such specific inhibitor is the metal vanadium. Salts of vanadium have been shown to inhibit the utilization of mevalonic acid for cholesterol biosynthesis (2), to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis in vitro and in vivo (3), to induce mobilization of predeposited aortic cho- lesterol in rabbits (4) and to lessen the deposi- tion of cholesterol in rabbits (5) and in birds (6) fed high cholesterol diets.