2-Buten-4-Olide (2-B4O) suppresses feeding in neonate and developing rat pups

The factors that control the satiety behavior and consequently the milk intake in neonates are complex. Mechanical stimulus of gastric filling and emptying are understood to be critical players, though not exclusive. Recently, sugar acid namely, 2-Buten-4-Olide (2-B4O) has been suggested as an endogenous satiety substance in studies conducted on adult rats and monkeys. However, the role of 2-B4O in neonate and suckling rat pups is not well elucidated and this study investigates the same. 2-B4O (50, 75mg/kg, ip) was injected in rat pups on post-natal days (0-2, 4-6 and 12-14) and the mean difference in body weight at 0.5, 1.2 and 24h following treatment was recorded. A dose dependent effect on body weight that correlated with the age of the pups was recorded. In another set of experiment, 2-B4O was micro-infused bilaterally into lateral hypothalamus of 12-14days old pups (1microl of 10microg/microl). Within 30min of micro-infusion, 2-B4O initiated a significant reduction of body weight that lasted up to 24h following treatment. The results of the present study implicate a critical role of 2-B4O as an endogenous feeding suppressant even in neonate and suckling rat pups.