Long-term effects of Org OD 14 on lipid metabolism in post-menopausal women

The effects of 2.5 mg/day 7 alpha, 17 alpha-17-hydroxy-7-methyl-19-norpregn-5(10)-en-20-yn-3-one (Org OD 14) on lipid metabolism, with particular reference to high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-related variables, were assessed in 14 healthy post-menopausal women after 12 and 36 mth of treatment. There were significant reductions in the following variables after both treatment periods: total phospholipids, total triglycerides, HDL-phospholipids and apolipoprotein A1. No changes were observed in total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol over the entire treatment period. A significant but temporary decrease was observed in HDL-cholesterol after 12 mth, with a return to pretreatment values after 36 mth of treatment. The findings of this study clearly show that Org OD 14 has no adverse effects on the atherogenic variables, viz. LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. Indeed, since the latter were lowered, its action is in fact beneficial. Moreover, its effect on HDL-cholesterol, the anti-atherogenic variable, is only temporary. We concluded from this study that although the composition of HDL changes during Org OD 14 treatment (especially as regards its cholesterol content), there is no evidence that reverse cholesterol transport is impaired.