Effect of N-Cyclohexyl Linoleamide on Cholesterol Metabolism in Rats ∗

Summary

Male Wistar rats were fed 0.3% N-cyclohexyl linoleamide (Clinolamide; Linolexamide) for 21 days. In a series of 5 experiments it was found that the drug did not significantly affect serum, liver, or kidney cholesterol levels. The livers of the Clinolamide-fed rats were larger (% body weight) than those of the controls. The serum plus liver cholesterol pool was generally higher in the control animals as was skin cholesterol. Synthesis of cholesterol from either sodium acetate-1-¹⁴C or mevalonic acid-2-¹⁴C by liver slices of rats fed 0.3% Clinolamide was not affected. Liver slices from rats fed 0.6% of the test compound synthesized significantly less cholesterol from either substrate than did slices from control rats. Addition of N-cyclohexyl linoleamide (1.5 × 10-⁵ M) to normal rat liver slices significantly depressed cholesterol synthesis from acetate-1-¹⁴C. Liver mitochondrial preparations from rats fed 0.3% of Clinolamide do not oxidize significantly more cholesterol-26-¹⁴C to ¹⁴CO₂ than do similar preparations from control rats.