[Studies on the effects of turpentine oil on the serum concentration of lipids and lipoproteins of male rabbits]

ABSTRACT

The effects of turpentine oil on the concentration of lipids and lipoproteins of rabbit [as an animal model for human studies] were investigated. Thirty five healthy male rabbits were chosen and then randomly allocated into 13 groups. Different percents of turpentine oil and other oil compounds like vegetable oil, cholesterol and animal oil were given to each group [5 rabbits] separately or in combination. Blood serum lipid and lipoprotein levels were analyzed using routine laboratory methods. Treatment with 10% and 20% turpentine oil had a significant decreasing effect on triglyceride, cholesterol, total lipid, VLDL- cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol [P<0.05] and a significant increasing effect on HDL- cholesterol [P<0.05]. on occasions which rabbits were fed a combination of different oils such as turpentine oil, animal oil and vegetable oil or cholesterol, varying results were obtained which showed significant differences with the control group in some instances and in some other occasions had no significant difference [P>0.05]. Treatment with turpentine oil has a significant decreasing effect on the levels of serum lipids and lipoproteins [VLDL-cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol]