Lipids, glucose parameters and reversible immunosuppression induced by Methylprednisolone on healthy rabbits

Single doses of Methylprednisolone hemisuccinate were tested in healthy rabbits. This study was conducted to determine the dose or doses that induce significant immunosuppression without significantly altering the serum levels of lipids and glucose within a relatively long period. Thus, four concentrations of methylprednisolone (2.5, 5, 10 and 15mg/kg body weight) were tested on four groups of six rabbits and a control group (0.9% NaCl). The results of this study showed that only concentrations of 10 and 15 mg / kg body weight induced a significant immunosuppression within seven days (P 0.05). The results of this study suggest that the dose of 10mg/kg body weight could be given as a dose inducing reversible immunosuppression without significantly altering the lipid and glucose parameters. The increase of lipids and glucose may cause diseases such as dyslipidemia and diabetes which could give rise to an irreversible immunosuppression.