Effects of single oral doses of scopoletin and aflatoxin B1 on the clotting time, serum cholesterol and phospholipid levels of chicks.

The plasma cholesterol and phospholipid levels as well as the bleeding time of chicks treated with single oral doses of scopoletin (60 micrograms/kg, body wt) and aflatoxin B1 (50 micrograms/kg, body wt) were measured at intervals for a period of one week (168 h). Both compounds generally increased the bleeding time (AFB1 0.8-28.7%, Scopoletin 0.5-38.2%), serum total and free cholesterol, and the serum phospholipid levels but decreased the levels of the serum esterified cholesterol fraction relative to control throughout the period of study. The extent of these changes elicited by the respective compounds and the variation in the differences between their respective effects varied with the measured parameters. The importance of the similarities in the effects elicited by aflatoxin B1 and Scopoletin was highlighted.