Endosulfan Induced Polydypsia In Adult Wistar Rats

The effect of Endosulfan on water and food intake of adult wistar rats was studied. Endosulfan, an organochlorine insecticide from the cyclodiene group was administered daily and orally to male and female albino wistar rats. Different doses of Endosulfan 0.2, 5 and 10mg/kg body weight were given to different groups for twenty eight (28) days . For the control group, nsaline was administered. Measured amount of water and food were given to all the dose groups four hourly daily. At each end of the four hours, volume of water and weight of food taken were measured and calculated in all the dose groups. There was an increase in water consumption dose dependently in the treated groups when compared with the control for the twenty eight days of the study. The groups administered with 5 and 10mg Endosulfan/kg elicited a statistically significant (P<0.05) increase in water consumption in the third and fourth weeks of the study. For the food intake, a dose dependent decrease was elicited by Endosulfan. The result for the water and food intake indicate alteration in the hypothalamus. The pesticide, Endosulfan may have induced polydypsia through central or nephrogenic mechanisms by stimulating the paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus to release Arginine vasopressin (AVP). Similarly, decrease in food intake may have occurred through the Ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus.