A short-term feeding study with deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin) using rats

Groups of 25 male and 25 female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 0, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 mg of deoxynivalenol (DON)/kg body wt for approximately 9 weeks. Each animal's body weight and feed consumption were measured weekly. Upon termination of the study, each animal's body, heart, liver, spleen, thymus, and kidneys were weighted. A hematological assessment and a 16-parameter serum evaluation were conducted and 8 animals from each group were randomly selected to receive tritiated thymidine iv to assess mitotic activity in the esophagus, jejunum, and spleen. A statistically significant, dose-related decrease in body weight gain was observed for all treated females, but only the males dosed at 1.0 mg/kg were found to have a treatment-related weight gain suppression. The reduced body weight was attributed to a reduced feed consumption. Reductions that were observed in absolute organ weights, were not apparent after adjusting for body weight suppression. No dose-related hematological findings were found. Serum chemistry changes included increased concentrations of chloride and decreased concentrations of CO2 and albumin, but only in the females. No histopathological lesions were attributed to DON treatment, but significant decreases in thymidine labeling occurred in the spleens and jejunums from the males dosed at 1.0 mg/kg.