Effects of T-2 toxin on saccharin aversion and food consumption in adult rats

Abstract

The present experiment used a saccharin aversion paradigm to evaluate the potential aversive action of T-2 toxin, a trichothecene mycotoxin that induces emesis and weight loss. Adult male rats were fed either a control diet or a diet adulterated with 640 ppm lithium chloride (positive control) or with 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 ppm T-2 toxin and given access to a 0.1% saccharin solution and to tap water during four training days. The rats were then shifted to the control diet during three extinction days. Moderate saccharin aversion induced by the positive control diet and the 5.0 and 10.0 ppm T-2 diets was apparent on the third day of exposure and the aversion to the saccharin solution abated during the extinction trials. Saccharin aversion was evident at levels of T-2 toxin that did not induce obvious tissue pathology.