Compounds comprising a series of 7-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-4, 5, 6, 7-tetrahydr~~-ind~ ol-3-y1]- 3, 5-dihydroxy-6-heptenoic acid sodium salts (18) were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase in a partially purified enzyme preparation and cholesterol biosynthesis from acetate in cultured HEP-GO cells. Changing the size of the saturated ring of the tetrahydroindazole nucleus did not improve potency, but ...