The development of a relative hyperthermia during continuous clonidine infusion in the rat

In rats the continuous infusion of clonidine (10 micrograms kg-1 h-1) produces a relative hyperthermia of approximately 0.6 degree C during the light phases but not the dark phases of a 10 day infusion period. It appears that the relative hyperthermia results from a clonidine infusion-induced attenuation of the fall in body temperature which normally occurs at the onset of the light phases.