[Effect of cholesterol oxidase on the involution of experimental hypercholesterolemia in rabbits].

Cholesterol oxidase (3 beta-hydrosteroid oxidase), isolated from Actinomyces lavendulae, oxidized unesterified cholesterol in rabbit blood serum without detergents in vitro. Intravenous administration of the enzyme into hypercholesterolemic rabbits at a dose of 0.5-2.0 un/kg decrease distinctly the cholesterol content in blood. The rate of the decrease depended on the dose of the preparation. Acute toxicity of the cholesterol oxidase preparations for mice correlated with the degree of purification of the enzyme. Cholesterol oxidase from Act. lavendulae may be considered as a potential hypocholesterolemic drug.