No abstract

2-Furoic acid was shown to be effective in lowering both serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels significantly in rats with an elevation of HDL cholesterol level at 20 mg/kg/day orally. LDL receptor activity was reduced in hepatocytes, aorta foam cells, small intestinal epithelium cells and fibroblasts. HDL receptor activity was elevated in the rat hepatocytes and small intestinal cells. These activities were correlated with inhibition of acyl CoA cholesterol acyl transferase activity. Neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase activity was elevated in rat hepatocytes and human fibroblasts. Thus, 2-furoic acid appears to interfere directly with activity of intracellular enzymes rather than affecting high affinity-mediated lipoprotein membrane receptors. In vivo treatment with 2-furoic acid led to reduction in the liver and small intestine ATP dependent citrate lyase, acetyl CoA synthetase, acyl CoA cholesterol acyl transferase, sn-glycerol 3-phosphate acyl transferase, phosphatidylate phosphohydrolase and heparin induced lipoprotein lipase activities. 2-Furoic acid reduced biliary cholesterol levels but the agent increased bile salts which are lithogenic. Acute toxicity studies in mice suggest that the agent has some hepatic toxicity effects. The LD50 was relatively low at 250 mg/kg IP in mice.

Terephthalic acid at 20 mg/kg/day in lowered serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats. The cholesterol content was lowered in the lipoprotein fractions. The effects of the agents on de novo lipid synthesis showed that similar enzymes were affected in rat liver and small intestinal mucosa cells as when compared to in vitro tissue culture cells from rats and humans, e.g. reduction of acyl CoA cholesterol acyl transferase and elevation of neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase activities suggest that net cholesterol esters deposition in foam cells should be reduced and plaque growth should be slowed. The suppression of LDL receptor binding and degradation by the drug suggest that less apoB lipoproteins are taken up by peripheral tissues. The elevated HDL receptor binding and internalization in the liver suggest that the drug accelerates cholesterol return to the liver. Additional studies show that cholesterol and bile acid secretion in the bile is elevated. However, the bile acids secreted are not lithogenic. Acute toxicity studies show that the agent appears to be safe in rodents. Two observations of increased serum alkaline phosphatase levels and increased liver vacuolation suggest some alteration of hepatic cell morphology, which requires further investigation.

We have measured the surface impedance Z s -Rs+iX s in the normal and superconducting states of K:(BEDT-TTF)2CU(NCS)2, and have evaluated the conductivity en. The temperature-independent X s for T<£T C and the weak maximum observed for o\ below T c rule out unusual pairing. Our results are in good overall agreement with calculations based on a BCS ground state.