The present study determines the effect on plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL-C values when capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is administered at the dose of 8mg/animal/day to young female rabbits maintained on a 0.5% cholesterol diet over a five week experimental period. Our data indicate that mammals of the order Lagomorpha fed cholesterol rich diets and supplemented with capsaicin show decreased plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio as compared to cholesterol level of controls. The mechanism of this effect is probably due to decreased intestinal absorption of the lipids.