Comparison of the cholesterol-lowering effects and toxicity of D-003 and lovastatin in normocholesterolaemic rabbits.

Background: D-003 is a mixture of long-chain aliphatic primary acids isolated from sugar-cane wax and having cholesterol-lowering effects and a safety profile that have been proven in animals and in previous clinical studies in healthy volunteers. Lovastatin, the first member of the statin class, is an effective and well tolerated cholesterol-lowering drug. Some lovastatin-related adverse effects have been reported, and preclinical assessment has shown that the rabbit is the most sensitive species to lovastatin toxicity.