Effect of different types of stress on blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol in rabbits

ABSTRACT

Fasting serum levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol were determined and compared in 18 rabbits pre and 5 minutes post exposure to stress. Animals were fed the same type of diet for 2 weeks and then divided into 3 groups. Each group was subjected for 5 minutes to one of the following stressful conditions a] Physical stress where rabbits were forced to run on a motorized treadmill [Healthstyler FJE-620] at a rate of 2 km/hr; b] Cold stress in which rabbits were immersed in cold water at 4 degree C, and c] Pain stress by pressing strong clamps on the fore-limbs of rabbits. Serum glucose level was increased significantly in response to all 3 stressful stimuli, while scrum triglycerides level was only increased significantly post physical and cold stresses but not after pain stress. The highest values were recorded post cold stress especially for triglycerides which reached almost triple their pre stress values. Pain stress, however, gave the smallest response. On the other hand, serum cholesterol level obtained post all 3 types of stressors was not significantly different from its pre stress value. Longer periods of stress are probably required in order to get significant changes in serum cholesterol level. Several neuro-endocrinal and chemical factors have been incriminated in this response which include catecholamines, glucocorticoids, glucagon, plasma lipid peroxide, beta-endorphin, and endogenous opioids