Plasma and hepatic lipid profiles in furazolidone-treated rats.

Rats were treated orally with furazolidone (FZ) at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight for three consecutive days. The parameters determined in plasma included: total cholesterol, high density (HDL) cholesterol, low-density (VLDL+LDL) cholesterol, triglycerol (TAG), phospholipids (PL), and lipoprotein lipase. In the liver, cholesterol, TAG and phospholipid concentrations were measured. At the lowest dose used, no statistically significant effect on any of these parameters in plasma or liver was observed. The drug, dose-dependently, increased the concentrations of total cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, TAG and PL in plasma. The activity of lipoprotein lipase was significantly decreased by FZ by about 45%. The hepatic cholesterol concentration was not significantly affected by any of the doses used. However, doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg produced fatty infiltration in the liver and significantly increased TAG level. The highest dose also decreased PL concentration.