Serum lipid and lipoprotein-cholesterol in rats jointly exposed to carbon disulphide and ethanol.

Chronic ethanol intake for 6 months leads to a significant elevation of serum triglicerides, HDL-cholesterol and the HDL/(LDL + VLDL) cholesterol ratio. Alterations of serum lipid and lipoprotein levels due to chronic CS2 intoxication included an increase in the concentration of triglicerides, total serum cholesterol, LDL + VLDL cholesterol and a decrease in the HDL/(LDL + VLDL) cholesterol ratio. In the combined exposure to CS2 and ethanol the values of the serum total cholesterol and lipoprotein-cholesterol (except triglicerides) in relation to controls were not altered. It is postulated that the observed changes are related to the effect of the evaluated agents on the microsomal monooxygenase system.