Toxicity of cholecalciferol to lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis: Biochemical and histopathological changes

• Cholecalciferol is a potent subacute rodenticide.
• The LD50 dose of cholecalciferol in Bandicota bengalensis is 30.93–34.94 mg/kg bwt.
• Food consumption was decreased after treatment reaching almost nil before death.
• Cholecalciferol caused significant increase in serum calcium and phosphorous level.
• Cholecalciferol treatment caused mild cellular degeneration in different organs.

Different groups (5 rats of each sex per group) of mature male and female Bandicota bengalensis were administered single oral doses of cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) dissolved in groundnut oil (vehicle) @ 20, 30, 40, 50, 80 and 100 mg kg−1 body weight (bwt). Rats of untreated control groups were administered 1 mL of the vehicle only. During pre and post treatment periods, rats were fed on food consisting of loose mixture of broken wheat, powdered sugar and vegetable oil in ratio of 96:2:2. At a dosage of 50 mg kg−1 bwt, cent percent mortality of rats was observed within 3–7 days in male and 3–11 days in female rats with LD50 of 30.92 and 34.94 mg kg−1 bwt, respectively. Post treatment food consumption by rats was significantly low from pre treatment food consumption at all the doses tested. A significant increase in calcium and phosphorous levels in serum was observed in all the rats after 48 h of treatment at a dose of 40 and 50 mg kg−1 bwt. Besides, lymphomononuclear cell infiltration, cellular degeneration and mineralization in different tissues of heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, stomach, spleen, ovaries and testes of treated rats was observed. Present study suggests the potential of cholecalciferol for management of B. bengalensis.