title: Effect of cycloheximide on temperature regulation in rats.
abstract: The effect of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, on temperature regulation in afebrile rats was studied to determine whether its reported antipyretic effect might be attributable to a non-specific antimetabolic effect. Within 60 min after administration of cycloheximide (5 mg/kg IP) to female rats at ambient temperatures of 34, 25 and 15 degrees C, a significant decrease in colonic temperature was observed as compared with control rats administered saline IP. Measurements of rate of oxygen consumption showed that cycloheximide (5 mg/kg IP) significantly depressed the ability of rats to increase their heat production during a cold stress (15 degrees C). In the cold the rate of oxygen consumption increased 8.7 +/- 0.8 ml/min/kg0.75 in the control rats but only 1.8 +/- 0.9 ml/min/kg0.75 in the cycloheximide-treated rats. Since the thermoregulatory changes accompanying cold stress are similar to those observed during the genesis of fever, these data suggest that cycloheximide may have a general depressant effect on heat production rather than a specific antipyretic effect.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D003513:Cycloheximide; D010100:Oxygen