Effect of Neomycin on Serum Cholesterol Level of Man.

Effect of neomycin on exchangeable pools of cholesterol in the steady state

“…The administration of neomycin was continued, and the symptoms subsided spontaneously by the end of the 2nd wk. These findings are again comparable to previous experience with the use of this drug in this laboratory (4)(5)(6)9). No other side effects were noted, the weight of the patients remained constant within 2 lbs variation, and physical examinations and the monitoring laboratory studies remained unchanged during the ad- ministration of the drug.…”

“…The differences were statistically significant at the 0.1% level. The reduction of serum cholesterol in these patients was comparable to previous results (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). In the fifth patient given placebo, there was no change in the level of serum cholesterol (Table I).…”

“…), or any combination of these. It has been reported (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9) that the daily oral administration of 0.5-2 g of neomycin sulfate significantly reduced the concentration of serum cholesterol in man. This reduction is accompanied by a three to fivefold increase in the fecal excretion of bile acids (7,8) and a twofold increase in the fecal excretion of neutral steroids (8) during the non-steady state, a finding which suggests the involvement of pathway (c).…”

Normalization of plasma lipoprotein concentrations in patients with type II hyperlipoproteinemia by combined use of neomycin and niacin.

“…However, when taken in small doses orally, it lowers total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in type II hyperlipoproteinemic patients.4 6 8 The effect of neomycin on the plasma lipoproteins is qualitatively and quantitatively similar to that achieved with the bile acid sequestrants cholestyramine and colestipol.8 Since little, if any, ototoxicity or nephrotoxicity has been reported in patients free of underlying intestinal, renal, or hepatic disease when the low dose of 2 g/day is used, neomycin appears as a promising addition in the treatment of the hyperlipoproteinemias. The present findings of respective reductions of 23% and 29% in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations are similar to results of our previous study.8 Moreover, all these patients have been treated with neomycin for at least a full year and some as long as 30 months without any evidence of toxicity.…”

Effect of Neomycin on the In Vitro Transformation of Bile Acids by Mixed Microbial Flora of Human Feces

“…It has been reported that the oral administration of neomycin in man causes a lowering of the level of serum cholesterol (4,7,(16)(17)(18), which has been attributed to a change in the composition of the intestinal microflora and the resulting alteration in the bacterial metabolism of bile salts in the intestine. As such an alteration, Hamilton (8) emphasized the disappearance of DCA from the feces of patients under neomycin therapy, and Samuel et al (16) stressed the lack of 7a-dehydroxylation of CA in fecal cultures from patients treated orally with neomycin.…”