The aim of the study was to inuestigate the influence of various doses of dilthiazem on levels of calcium (Ca), glucose, total cholesterol (TCH), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-CH) and triacylglycerols (TAG) in serum of intact rats. DILT was administered orally (p.o.) in a daily dose 0.25 mg.kg 1 and 2.5 mg.kg 1 of body weight in 12-hour and 24-hour interuals over a period 6 weeks to experimental animals - males Wistar rats. The results revealed a statistically significant decrease in the levels of lipidaemic parameters: TCH (p < 0.05), LDL-CH (p < 0.05) and TAG (p < 0.05) in all experimental groups in comparison to the control grou~. The serum concentration of Ca was unmodified except for the group of animals to which DILT 0.25 mg.kg in 12-hour interuals (p < 0.05) was administered. In this group, there was a significantly increased level of glucose (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control group. The results of glucose in serum of intact rats revealed tkat DILT can produce opposite dose-dependent effects on metabolic processes. The findings obtained from this study suggest tkat DILT administered orally in different doses and different interuals seem to have a beneficial effect on lipidaemic parameters in all experimental groups.

        Key words: dilthiazem, atherosclerosis, lipidaemic parameters, serum glucose levels.