EXPLORATION OF LAURIC ACID AS A POTENTIATOR FOR ENHANCING WARFARIN TOXICITY TO RATS

We conducted laboratory feeding trials to evaluate the effectiveness o f lauric acid, a naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid, for enhan cing the toxicity of warfarin to three species of Hawaiian rats (Rattu s norvegicus, R. rattus, R. exulans). We offered oats treated with one of three concentrations of (0.01, 0.1 or 1.0%) lauric acid and either of two concentrations (0.0125 or 0.005%) of warfarin to individually caged rats during a series of 24-h feeding trials. None of the warfari n-lauric acid combinations enhanced mortality in any of the three spec ies. Nor did pre-exposing rats to lauric acid improve its effectivenes s. R. rattus and R. exulans exposed to the highest concentration of la uric acid (1.0%) reduced their consumption of toxic baits. Al the conc entrations evaluated, lauric acid appears to have little potential as a bait additive for enhancing the toxicity of warfarin to rats.