Study on restrain stress induced changes in serum lipid profile and haemoconcentration and effect of sympathetic...

In the present work, restrain stress induced changes in serum lipid profile and haemoconcentration and effects of sympathetic blocker on it were observed. For this purpose, 24 male rats (Long Evans Norwegian Strain) were taken and were divided into four groups, consisting of 6 rats in each group. Group I was control, group II was stressed but non treated, group III was stressed and treated (treated with carvedilol an adrenoceptor blocker), and group IV was stressed and treated (treated with distilled water). The serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were measured in all groups of animals. Haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit values were measured as indirect indices of haemoconcentration. Serum levels of total cholesterol, TG and HDL were significantly higher in stressed group than that of control group, but LDL cholesterol levels were same in both groups. Concurrently, there were haemoconcentration in stressed group compared to control group. In group III, there were decrease in total cholesterol, TG and HDL cholesterol levels compared to group II and TG level was mostly affected. But LDL level was significantly higher than that of control group (group I). Again, in group III, there were still haemoconcentration. The present data indicate that restrain stress induced elevations of serum lipid and lipoproteins were partly result from direct metabolic activation of sympathetic nervous system and also partly from haemoconcentration.