Effect of turpentine treatment on hemorheological parameters in rats

Abstract

The effect of subcutaneous treatment of turpentine on hemorheological parameters was studied ex vivo in rats. A dose-response study (0.2 to 5 ml/kg) was performed on a series of parameters: whole blood apparent viscosity, plasma viscosity, plasma fibrinogen content, total plasma protein, hematocrit, erythrocyte aggregation and filterability. Significant alterations of all hemorheological parameters were observed 24 hrs after the turpentine treatment except for erythrocyte filterability and hematocrit values. In most cases, these alterations were significant (p<0.01) for doses higher than 0.3 ml/kg, with a maximum effect usually observed for a dose ≥ 1 ml/kg. These hemorheological alterations were still present 48 hrs after turpentine treatment and in the same order of magnitude. Thus, the present study demonstrated for the first time that turpentine treatment induced significant alterations of hemorheological parameters in dose-dependent manner, probably via an increase in plasma protein components.