Hypolipidemic action, nicotinic acid

Nicotinic acid has a hyperglycemic action (SED-13, 1330), and is therefore not recommended as a first-line hypolipidemic drug in patients with type 2 diabetes melli-tus (26). 

Clofibrate is a widely used hypolipidemic agent whose mode of action, like that of nicotinic acid, has not been unequivocally established (21). In the earliest studies of the effect of this compound on fecal steroid excretion (22), it was concluded that excretion of sterols was increased but that of bile acids was not. The ratio of glycocholanic/taurocholanic acid was unaffected (23). Grundy et al. (24) reported that this drug reduced fecal bile acid excretion in their patients. 

Mason, Mechanism of hypolipidemic action of nicotinic acid, Clin,Pharmacol.Ther., 24 354-373 (1978). 

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