Hypolipidemic activity of benzohydroxamic acids and dibenzohydroxamic acids in rodents.

A series of benzo- and dibenzohydroxamic acids were shown to have potent hypolipidemic activity in mice and rats lowering both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels at 20 mg/kg/day. Selected derivatives lowered tissue lipids, i.e. liver, small intestine and aorta, and accelerated fecal lipid excretion in rats. The VLDL and LDL cholesterol content was reduced and HDL cholesterol was significantly elevated after 14 days administration, orally. The agents were not HMG CoA reductase inhibitors; however, other lipid regulator enzyme activities were inhibited, e.g. acyl CoA cholesterol acyl transferase, ATP-dependent citrate lyase and acetyl CoA synthetase. The triglyceride levels were probably reduced due to the derivatives inhibiting the enzymatic activities of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyl transferase and phosphatidylate phosphohydrolase.