THE EFFECT OF N-CYCLOHEXYL LINOLEAMIDE ON EXPERIMENTAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN RABBITS

During the course of an investigation on cholesterol-lowering agents a number of linoleic acid and related polyunsaturated fatty acid amide derivatives have been synthesized in this Research Department and the screening study has been made on cholesterol metabolism in experimental animals. As a result of tests, it was found that N-cyclohexyl linoleamide showed a remarkable cholesterol-lowering effect in the mouse. The present study was undertaken to ascertain the effect of this compound in rabbits, a species susceptible to atherosclerosis, and compare its effect with those of linoleic acid, ethyl linoleate and safflower oil in order to elucidate differences of action between these fatty acids, ester or glycerides and the new derivative, N-cyclohexyl linoleamide. And an attempt was also made to investigate the cholesterol-lowering effects of N-cyclohexyl stearamide, a derivative of saturated fatty acid having the same length of carbon chain as linoleic acid, and the amide derivative of safflower oil fatty acids which contained about 25% of oleic acid, palmitic acid and other fatty acids besides the main component, linoleic acid.