ACUTE TOXICOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF DIFETHIALONE IN INDIAN DESERT GERBIL, MERIONES HURRIANAE

ABSTRACT The acute median lethal dose, LD50, is used as an indicator of a rodenticide’s toxicity. The LD50 when administered in acute toxicity tests is utilized for the classification of toxic potential of various rodenticides. The acute median lethal dose of the second generation anticoagulant, Difethialone to Indian Desert gerbil, Meriones hurrianae has been reported in this paper. The experiment was done by oral intubation method using five different dosages – 0.2 - 0.6 mg/kg body weight. The treated animals were held for 48 hours at room temperature with food and water ad libitum, after which the dead gerbils were counted. The LD50 value was calculated to be 0.28mg/kg body weight by probit method. REFERENCES Chanda Mallaiah. 2013. Studies on the persistence and degradation of endosulfan in the soil ecosystem of tropical climate. Biolife. 1(3):116-122 Finney, D.J., 1971. Probit analysis 3rd Ed. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. XV: 33. Gebauer, M., 2007. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel warfarin derivatives. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 15, 2414-2420. Lechevin, J.C. and Poche, R.M., 1988. Activity of LM 2219 (Difethialone), a new anticoagulant rodenticide, in commensal rodents. Marsh, R.E., Howard, H.E. and Jackson, W.B. 1980. Bromadiolone: a new toxicant for rodent control. Pest control. 48(8), 22, 24 and 26. Mathur, A. 1994. Efficacy of anticoagulants against poison shy populations of rodents in laboratory and field conditions. A thesis submitted to the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. Nahas, K., Lorgue, G., Mazallon, M. 1989. Difethialone (LM-2219): a new anticoagulant rodenticide for use against warfarin-resistant and -susceptible strains of Rattus norvegicus and Mus musculus. Ann. Rech. Vet. 20, 159-164. Petterino, C., Paolo, B., 2001. Toxicology of various anticoagulant rodenticides in animals, Vet. Hum. Toxicol. 43, 353-356. Sahni, K., 1993.Toxicological, Behavioural, Haematological and Histopathological studies on Swiss albino mice treated with Difethialone. A Ph.D. Thesis. University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. Saravanan, K. and Kanakasabai, R., 2004. Evaluation of secondary poisoning of Difethialone, a new second generation anticoagulant rodenticide to Barn owl, Tyto alba Hartert under captivity. Indian J. Exp. Biol. 42, 1013-1016. Saxena, K., 2014. Laboratory Evaluation of Difethialone for Bait Shyness in Indian Desert Gerbil, Meriones hurrianae Jerdon. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci 3(1): 140-1