LYMPHATIC TRANSPORT OF CHOLESTEROL IN NORMOCHOLESTEROLEMIC RATS TREATED WITH PRAVASTATIN, AN INHIBITOR OF HMG-COA REDUCTASE

Lymphatic absorption and transport of cholesterol and triacylglycerols were examined in rats treated with pravastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hyd roxy-3-methyglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase. Pravastatin-treatment fo r 1, 7 and 28 days did not affect the recovery of cholesterol and tria cylglycerols during 24 h after the lipid administration: the recovery was 52-59% and 82-93% for cholesterol and triacylglycerols, respective ly. Rats treated with pravastatin for 28 days had a higher lymphatic r ecovery of the lipids during 3-6 h after the lipid administration than did control rats. Pravastatin treatment did not affect the ratio of p hospholipid to cholesterol in the gut mucosa, the fatty acid compositi on of the lymph and mucosal lipids. We concluded that an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase would exert no adverse effect on absorption of fat-s oluble nutrients by gut.