Cholesterol ester hydrolase inhibitors

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a cholesterol ester hydrolase inhibiting amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR19## in which X is sulfur;
• n is 1;
• and
• R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are, independently, hydrogen, branch or straight chain alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, halo, nitro, cyano or perhaloalkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonyl of 2 to 16 carbon atoms or hydroxycarbonyl;
• and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A process for reducing cholesterol absorption in a mammal in need of reduced serum cholesterol levels which comprises administering, orally or parenterally, an amount of a compound of the following formula sufficient to reduce plasma cholesterol concentration:

• ##STR20## in which X is sulfur;
• n is 1;
• and
• R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are, independently, hydrogen, branched or straight chain alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, halo, nitro, cyano or perhaloalkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonyl of 2 to 16 carbon atoms or hydroxycarbonyl.