title: Effects of trimethyltin on homecage behavior of rats.
abstract: Diurnal patterns of feeding, drinking, locomotor activity, and rearing in male Fischer-344 rats were examined for 2 weeks after a single oral dose of trimethyltin chloride (TMT) at 0, 3, 5, or 7 mg/kg. Body weights and feeding and drinking efficiency ratios (ratios of amount of food or water consumed per unit effort) were also determined daily. TMT caused a dose- and time-related drop in body weight; two of five rats in the 7 mg/kg group were killed moribund on 15 days after dosing. Feed consumption fell to 25% of control within 5 days after 7 mg/kg TMT, and to 50% of control for Days 2 and 3 after 5 mg/kg TMT. Water consumption doubled within 2 days after 7 mg/kg TMT and remained elevated for 2 weeks. Feeding efficiency dropped to 40% of control after 7 mg/kg, but drinking efficiency was unchanged. The diurnal patterns of drinking and of rearing were disrupted at all doses of TMT; a normal peak in rearing activity, occurring immediately prior to light onset, was markedly attenuated after all doses on Day 3, and at 5 and 7 mg/kg on Days 5 and 7 post-TMT. These results suggest (1) that the regulation of feed and water intake is severely compromised after a high dose of TMT, and (2) that the rat's cyclical patterns of homecage behavior are sensitive to TMT doses as low as 3 mg/kg.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013997:Time Factors; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D014298:Trimethyltin Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds; D014298:Trimethyltin Compounds; C046488:trimethyltin