Lipid changes in male Albino rats exposed to graded doses of Lead

In order to determine the lipid changes in male albino rats exposed to graded doses of lead as lead acetate for periods of 4, 8 and 12 weeks, a total of 60 male albino rats were divided into four groups as, A, B, C and D. Group A served as the control while groups B, C and D were exposed to 200, 300 and 400 ppm, respectively. At the end of exposure period, blood samples were collected for the determination of lead concentration. Total triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations were also determined in the plasma. There was a significant (p < 0.05) period and dose dependent increase in blood lead concentrations in treated groups compared to the control group while plasma triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations followed similar patterns of alterations. The high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density cholesterol concentrations show varying degrees of alterations, with a significant increase in high density cholesterol fractions while a significant decrease in the low density cholesterol fractions. The phospholipid concentration showed a dose-dependent decrease. It can be concluded that exposure to varying concentrations of lead over varying periods of exposures show accumulation of lead in the blood together with varying alterations in some of the lipid parameters of male albino rats.