Beeinflussung des Nahrungs- und Trinkverhaltens von Ratten durch getrenntes Futter- und Wasserangebot sowie durch Pharmaka

Summary

Food and water consumption of albino rats was limited to three hours daily. From the three groups tested the first group received both food and water simultaneously, the second group was given food first and water afterwards and the third group water first and food afterwards. Rats of the first and second group consumed reasonable amounts of food and water and managed to maintain body weight. The rats of the third group however, (water first, food second) consumed less water and food, lost considerable weight and died within two to four weeks. We do not know why this change in the order of feeding seems to be so important.

In the above mentioned groups the action of certain drugs upon food and water intake was tested. In order to measure the effect on water and food intake separatly the drugs were administered after dry food consumption in the first experiment and after water intake in the second experiment. By this method we eliminated the effect of food on water intake and water on food intake. d-Amphetamin, Preludin (2-phenyl-3-methyltetrahydro-1,4-oxazin · HCl), Caffeine sodium salicylate and Chlorpromazine reduced food and water intake independently whereas Sodium Phenobarbital increased food and water consumption independently. Moreover it is pointed out that testing appetite functions can help a lot in further characterization of centrally acting drugs.