Isotonic NaCl is ingested in addition to water by cell-dehydrated rats in two-bottle tests. The objective of the present work was to find out whether
mineral intake in the cell-dehydrated rat is specific to NaCl in a five-bottle test. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats had distilled water and four
mineral solutions at palatable concentrations (0.01 M KCl, 0.05 mM CaCl2, 0.15 M NaHCO3, 0.15 M NaCl) simultaneously available for consumption. Cell-
dehydration was produced infusing 1.5 ml of NaCl
solution (0.15, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 M) intravenously for 10 min and intakes were recorded for the next hour. It was observed a NaCl concentration-dependent increase in 0.01 M KCl intake. The ingestion of the other
mineral solutions was not significantly altered compared to infusion of 0.15 M NaCl. The ingestion of KCl was not related to changes in serum
potassium concentration. The ingestion of KCl was reduced in half and water was the preferred fluid when the five-bottle test was performed with
mineral solutions at
isomolar (0.15 M) concentrations. There was no increase in intake of other
mineral solution in the
isomolar test. No preference was observed for palatable or
isomolar solutions during early extracellular
dehydration until 4 h after
subcutaneous injection of
furosemide, in spite of the increase in total volume intake. Therefore,
mineral intake induced by cell
dehydration is not specific for NaCl
solution. The type of
mineral solution available influences the choice and KCl is the preferred
solution of the cell-dehydrated rat in the conditions of the present study.