Conditioned taste aversion in Philippine rice rats (R. r. mindanensis) : comparisons among drugs, dosages, modes of administration, and sexes

Two-choice saccharin aversions were compared for 28 days among groups of rats intubated with various drugs, including control rats intubated with sodium chloride and de-ionized water. Of the experimental drugs, lithium chloride produced the greatest sustained aversions, while cyclophosphamide and red squill produced moderate aversions; survival rates were greater among males than females. A second experiment compared saccharin aversion among matched groups of male and female rats which received low, moderate, or high dosages of lithium by gavage, intraperitoneal injection, or ingestion. Sex differences in death rates were found for the latter two dosage methods. Death occurred most rapidly in rats dosed by gavage. For all modes of administration, high dosages yielded intense 28-day aversion, moderate dosages produced intermediate 3-5 day aversion, and low dosages caused no aversion. (Author abstract, modified)