Diet of rats

Protein efficiency ratio (PER) = weight gain(g) for a 10% protein level in the diet of rats as compared to the standard of 2.5 for casein. 

The question therefore arose about the fate of the methyl group from methionine. When minimal amounts of methionine were used to supplement the diet of rats given homocysteine as their main source of sulfur, the rats did not usually thrive, and at death had fatty accumulations in their livers. Best and his co-workers had earlier reported the efficacy of choline as a lipotropic agent, facilitating the mobilization of fat from the liver. Du Vigneaud therefore tried supplementing homcys-... 

At a level of 1000 ppm in the diet of rats, significant enlargement of the thyroid could be detected as early as 3 days. At a dietary level of 60 or 120 ppm, there was enlargement of the thyroid within 2 weeks. Morphologic changes were noted in the thyroid of rats fed 10 or 50 mg/kg amitrole for 11-13 weeks. Amitrole is thought to interfere with the formation of thyroxine by inhibiting the peroxidase-dependent iodide oxidation in the thyroid. Suppression of thyroid function leads to further stimulation by the pituitary, with resultant hyperplasia and tumor formation. 

Continuous feeding of 1% (10,000 ppm) in the diet of rats for 105 days caused no effect 2% in the diet caused growth inhibition, but no histologic effects were observed. ... 

DEHP-induced testicular injury has been reported in a number of studies." Administration of 20,000mg/kg in the diet of rats produced seminiferous tubular degeneration and testicular atrophy within 7 days, 12,500mg/l produced similar effects within 90 days, and 6000 ppm was effective by the end of 2 years of exposure. Testicular damage has been found to be more severe in young rats than in older rats, and damage appears to be reversible if DEHP... 

National Cancer Institute smdies showed that administration of 4700 or 8150mg/kg for 80 weeks or 2000 or 4000mg/kg for 103 weeks in the diets of rats was not carcinogenic. Subsequent data reevaluation by NTP confirmed these conclusions. Mice fed diets containing 8000 or 16,000 mg/kg for 80 weeks also had no significant increase in mmor incidence. The lARC determined that there is no available evidence to suggest that malathion is likely to present a carcinogenic risk to humans. 

In a study in which rats were injected subcutaneously with I mg of maleic anhydride in oil twice weekly for 61 weeks, two of three surviving animals developed fibrosarcomas, which appeared 80 weeks after the start of the experiment. Administered in the diet of rats for 2 years, it was not carcinogenic. ... 

In 28-day feeding studies in rodents 30,000ppm in the diet of rats caused significant decreases in feed consumption and body weight gain. In mice swelling of the epithelium in the distal portion of the renal tubules was seen in mice fed 10,000 ppm in the diet. Dietary intake for 90 days caused changes in neurobehavioural parameters in the 18,000 ppm male rats, whereas mice fed 7500 ppm had centrilobular hypertrophy of the liver. ... 

Some of the more interesting examples of nutrient - nonnutrient interactions include some of the compounds that are analogs of nutrients. Mattson et al (16) found that cholesterol absorption decreased when various plant sterols were added to the diets of rats. A number of plant amino acids are not ordinarily required by herbivores and are usually not incorporated into proteins. For example, the structure of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-alanlne (L-dopa) is similar to that of tyrosine. L-Dopa may play a role in favism (17), as well as having a number of other deleterious effects (18, 19, 20). Essential amino acids themselves can be deleterious if they are ingested in excessive quantities or if they are not in balance with other amino acids... 

A neuropathy caused by clioquinol (iodochlorohydroxyquin, chinoform) and enhanced by the formation of a clioquinol ferric chelate which initiates lipid peroxidation, leads to complete degeneration of retinal neuroblasts within a day. Vitamin E has a potent protective action against the effects of the chelate [75]. Peroxidative damage to DNA in rat brain, induced by methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, a potent initiator of lipid peroxidation, was inhibited by addition of vitamin E to the diet of rats [76]. 

Mathew, B.C. and Daniel, R.S. 1996. Hypolipidemic effect of garlic protein substituted for caseinin diet of rats compared to those of garlic oil. Indian J. Exp. Biol. 34, 337-340. 

Almost all the evidence showing that phytate decreases zinc absorption in man and animals is based on pure phytate added to the diet. The effect of natural phytate is variable (18). It has, however, been reported that phytate in bran affected zinc bioavailability in the same way as sodium phytate (19). Dietary fibre in the rural Iranian diet was considered to be the main cause of zinc deficiency in Iran (20). However, the addition of 26 g of fibre from various sources to the American diet did not have any significant effect on the zinc requirements of male adults (21). Similarly, Indian men consuming a diet containing only 10.8 mg of zinc were reported to be in balance in spite of a dietary fibre intake of 50 g per day (22). Moreover, the presence of fibre and phytate in soy flour did not affect the bioavailability of zinc added as zinc carbonate, to the diet of rats (17), although others (23) have reported that the bioavailability of zinc in breakfast cereals depends mainly on their phytate-zinc molar ratio. Our results indicate that there is some, as yet, undetermined difference in the phytate or the fibre of cereals which affects the bioavailability of zinc. It may be some component of dietary fibre (24) or the intrinsic differences in the protein-phytate-mineral complex (10). 

Administration of clldlnlum for 1 yr at 5.0, 25, and 50 mg/kg In the diet of rats did not result In drug-related toxicity. Blood counts, clinical-chemistry measures, and results of gross and microscopic studies remained within normal limits (28). 

In a two generation reproductive toxicity study, piperazine dihydrochloride was administered in the diet of rats at doses of 250, 600, or 1250 mg kg day A dose-response effect for decreased litter size was seen in the 600 and 1250 mg kg groups suggesting that piperazine exposure at these dose levels can impair fertility. 

Amagase et al. (1996) demonstrated that the benefits of rosemary in the diet of rats exposed to DMBA are dependent on the source and concentration of dietary lipids. 1% rosemary but not 0.5% rosemary powder reduced the DMBA-induced DNA adduct in a diet containing 5% com oil, whereas 0.5% rosemary powder was effective in a 20% com oil diet. Further, the effect of rosemary was lower when the dietary lipid consisted of 5% com oil and 15% coconut oil. 

CAS 62-49-7. (CH3)3N(OH)CH2CH2OH. Member of the vitamin B complex. Essential in the diet of rats, rabbits, chickens, and dogs. In humans it is required for lecithin formation and can replace methionine in the diet. There is no evidence of disease in humans caused by choline deficiency. It is a dietary factor important in furnishing free methyl groups for transmethylation has a lipotropic function. 

Fewer investigators have studied the effect of calcium and phosphorus salts on zinc metabolism in animals than have studied the effect on iron metabolism. The addition of both inorganic calcium and phosphorus to the diet of rats (44.50.51.65) and trout (66) has been found to depress zinc utilization by these animals. However, no changes in zinc metabolism were noted in pigs (47,59) and horses (48) fed high levels of calcium and phosphorus. 

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