Phenobarbital-Induced Fatty Livers in the Rat

Administration of phenobarbital to rats fed a standard laboratory diet or 6 different synthetic diets produced elevated levels of triglyceride, phospholipid and total cholesterol in the livers of these animals. By varying the choline, fat, and protein constituents in these diets it appears that choline and fat content are factors influencing the amount of triglyceride accumulating in livers as a result of phenobarbital administration. These dietary factors, however, did not appear to regulate the manner in which phenobarbital elevated phospholipid and total cholesterol levels.