Solanum alkaloids as inhibitors of enzymatic conversion of dihydrolanosterol into cholesterol.

Abstract
The effects of several solanum steroidal alkaloids on cholesterol biosynthesis from 24,25-dihydrolanosterol by 10000 .times. g supernatant fluid of rat liver were examined. Solacongestidine (I), solafloridine (II) and solasodine (III) (40 .mu.M each) exhibited considerable inhibitory effects (59, 51, 37% inhibition, respectively) on the synthesis of cholesterol from [24,25-3H]-24,25-dihydrolanosterol (18 .mu.M). The biological importance of the inhibitory properties of the steroidal alkaloids is discussed.