[Effect of 5alpha-androstan-3beta, 17beta-diol on serum lipids and lipoproteins and the development of experimental atherosclerosis]

The author studied the influence of testosterone metabolite--5alpha-androstan-3beta,17beta-diol--on the development of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in chinchilla rabbits given cholesterol-free semisynthetic atherogenic diet. The metabolite under study inhibited the development of hypercholesterolemia and hyperbetalipoproteinemia and decreased blood phospholipid content in the blood serum of experimental animals below the initial level. Lipid content in the sum total fraction of pre-beta and beta-lipoproteins decreased under the effect of the mentioned metabolite; there was also a fall in the amount of lipoproteins of low density and their greater saturation with cholesterol. Development of experimental atherosclerosis was intensified.