Abstract
Clofibrate and betabenzalbutyrate produce a variety of metabolic alterations in vivo. These include reduction in serum triglyceride and alterations in adipose tissue uptake and release of lipids. Clofibrate displaces thyroxine from albumin binding sites and produces an enlargement of liver and changes in ultrastructure. The biochemical changes produced by clofibrate include reduction in adenyl cyclase activity, inhibition of acetyl CoA carboxylase, inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis and inhibition of triglyceride formation. Recent studies in this laboratory have shown that the inhibition of hepatic triglyceride formation is an early metabolic consequence of clofibrate administration and precedes the fall in serum triglyceride and several of the other biochemical alterations. Moreover clofibrate and betabenzalbutyrate inhibit the esterification ofsn-glycerol-3-P by rat liver homogenate and microsomal preparations. The initial step in this pathway, acyl-CoA-sn-glycerol-3-P acyltransferase, is inhibited by both drugs, in vitro. It is possible that this in vitro inhibition explains the early hypotriglyceridemic effect of these agents.
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Fallon, H.J., Adams, L.L. & Lamb, R.G. A review of studies on the mode of action of clofibrate and betabenzalbutyrate. Lipids 7, 106–109 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02532596
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02532596