Effect of clofibrate administration on several biochemical parameters of normal and thyroidectomized rats

Abstract

Clofibrate was administered in the diet (0.3%, w/w) for 7 days to normal and thyroidectomized male rats. At the end of the feeding period, the rats were killed by decapitation and several biochemical measurements were made. Inclusion of clofibrate in the diet did not affect weight gain or food consumption of either group of rats. Clofibrate lowered blood serum lipid levels of both normal and thyroidectomized rats, increased liver weight and kidney weight in normal rats and kidney weight in thyroidectomized rats, increased total liver lipid of both normal and thyroidectomized rats. decreased skeletal muscle O 2 consumption and increased liver O 2 consumption, and slightly decreased BMR of normal rats. The primary conclusions are: (1) the hypolipidemic effects of clofibrate do not require thyroxine but are more discernible when thyroxine is present, (2) the clofibrate-induced hypertrophy of liver but not of kidney is thyroxine dependent, and (3) clofibrate alters the O 2 consumption of rat tissues in a counterbalancing manner that results in a minimal effect on BMR.