Studies on the effects of turpentine oil on the serum concentration of lipids and lipoproteins of male rabbits

Background: The effects of turpentine oil on the concentration of lipids and lipoproteins of rabbit
(as an animal model for human studies) were investigated.
Methods and Materials: Thirty Five healthy male rabbits were chosen and then randomly
allocated into 13 groups. Different percents of turpentine oil and other oil compounds like
vegetable oil, cholesterol and animal oil were given to each group (5 rabbits) separately or in
combination. Blood serum lipid and lipoprotein levels were analyzed using routine laboratory
methods.
Results: Treatment with 10% and 20% turpentine oil had a significant decreasing effect on
triglyceride, cholesterol, total lipid, VLDL- cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol (P<0.05) and a
significant increasing effect on HDL- cholesterol (P<0.05). On occasions which rabbits were fed a
combination of different oils such as turpentine oil, animal oil and vegetable oil or cholesterol,
varying results were obtained which showed significant differences with the control group in some
instances and in some other occasions had no significant difference (P>0.05).
Conclusions: Treatment with turpentine oil has a significant decreasing effect on the levels of
serum lipids and lipoproteins (VLDL-cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol).