Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a complex of disorders closely associated with developing the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) accompanied by a violation of the intestinal microbiota. An assessment of morphological changes in the liver and intestines during the development of experimental metabolic syndrome in rats was carried out. The study was performed on 32 Wistar white rats aged 10-12 months using a 60 % fructose feeding pattern for 16 weeks as the MS model. It has been established that the fructose feeding model in rats causes the development of NAFLD with the result of a violation of the bar structure of the lobules, moderate intralobular inflammation, and the formation of hepatocellular granular dystrophy and perisinusoidal fibrosis. In the intestinal villi, destruction of apical epithelial cells and changes in cell nuclei are observed. Thus, the development of MS in rats is accompanied by the formation of signs of non-alcoholic steatohepatosis and damage to intestinal cells, which confirms the involvement of these organs as the primary target organs in MS, and contributes to the development of metabolic, dysbiotic, and inflammatory disorders.