Potentiation of warfarin toxicity of roof rats (Rattus rattus) by L-histidine and by vitamin K adsorbers.

• Main Author: Rao, M. B. K.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1979
• Subjects: 05 Insect/Pest Control; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: http://ir.cftri.res.in/8625/; http://ir.cftri.res.in/8625/1/Pestic.%20Sci,%20Volume-10%283%20%281979%29%20221-226.pdf

PESTAB. The efficacy of warfarin alone or with various additives was tested against roof rats (Rattus rattus). Warfarin alone at 50 mg/kg of bait killed 37% of the root rats whereas the additives, L-histidine (40 mg/kg of bait), activated-clay, charcoal and carbon (10 g/kg of bait), tested individually, produced no mortality. However, when warfarin was combined with each of these additives in turn, only the L-histidine combination resulted in 100% mortality while the other combinations killed 88, 75 and 63% of the test rats, respectively. Further trials of paired comparison tests were carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of the warfarin/L-histidine combination under different environmental conditions. All the rats succumbed to this combination in both cage and rattery conditions when there was no alternative food. Mortality decreased to 60% in cage and 70% in rattery when alternative food was provided alongside the poison bait. Rats tended to die more quickly with the L-histidine combination than with warfarin alone. Field trials also confirmed that this combination was effective in reducing roof rat infestations as shown by the yield of corpses, the post-poison bait intake and post-operational surveillance. (Author abstract by permission)