Further assessment of glunicate hypolipidaemic activity in the rat

The hypolipidaemic activity of glunicate administered orally to rats has been further evaluated. In the fasted normolipidaemic rat, glunicate, in single doses of 10-300 mg kg-1 (as nicotinic acid equivalents), exerted a dose-dependent reduction of plasma triglycerides and cholesterol. At the lower doses, the HDL: total cholesterol ratio was enhanced, but at higher doses it was depressed. Similar results were obtained in the fasted obese Zucker rat, but the acute effects of glunicate seemed less marked in this strain. When the same doses of glunicate were given for 7-8 consecutive days no alteration of the plasma lipid pattern was observed, the reason being that the hypocholesterolaemic action of single doses of glunicate is reduced or abolished in fed animals; this was not due to pharmacokinetic factors depending on feeding. The same lack of hypocholesterolaemic action in fed animals occurred with nicotinic acid.