Effect of Chronic Treatment of Propranolol on Lipid Metabolism in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR)

Abstract

The effects of propranolol on lipid metabolism were studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Male SHR and corresponding Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used at 5 weeks of age. The SHR were given 10 mg/kg/day of dl-propranolol-HCl by gavage for 10 weeks. Body weight gain in untreated SHR and propranolol-treated SHR (SHR-P) groups were low, as compared with those of the WKY group. Total cholesterol, phospholipid and total lipid of the serum and liver in the SHR-P group were higher than in the SHR group. In the early weeks of treatment, serum triglyceride and non-esterified fatty acid levels in the SHR-P group were slightly lower than those in the SHR group. Aortic lipid levels in the SHR-P group were lower than those in the SHR group. During the later weeks of treatment, blood glucose level in the SHR-P group was higher than in the SHR group. The serum immunoreactive insulin value in the SHR-P group was slightly lower than in the SHR group. These results may suggest that propranolol inhibits hormone-sensitive lipase activity in the early weeks of treatment and influences cholesterol biosynthesis and/or catabolism.