TERGURIDE BUT NOT BROMOCRIPTINE ALLEVIATED GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE ABNORMALITIES AND HYPERLIPIDEMIA IN OBESE AND LEAN GENETICALLY HYPERTENSIVE KOLETSKY RATS

Glucose tolerance, total plasma cholesterol and plasma triglycerides w ere studied in the genetically hypertensive obese Koletsky rats (SHR/N -cp) and in their lean siblings. The initial part of the glucose toler ance curve was substantially elevated in both obese and lean Koletsky animals compared to normotensive Wistar rats. The abnormal glucose tol erance in hypertensive rats was accompanied by increased total plasma cholesterol and plasma triglycerides. Long-term treatment with dopamin ergic agonists terguride or bromocriptine (0.2 and 2.0 mg/kg/day, resp ectively) exerted similar effects on lipid metabolism but both drugs d iffered in their influence on glucose tolerance. Terguride lowered pla sma lipids and normalized glucose tolerance in both obese and lean Kol etsky rats. Bromocriptine reduced hyperlipidaemia but did not attenuat e the abnormalities of glucose tolerance in either lean or obese Kolet sky animals.