Differential effects of saccharin supplementation on alcohol and water consumption by Wistar rats from different sources

Abstract The study was aimed to elucidate whether the dissimilar effects of concurrent presentation of sweet water on alcohol consumption previously reported for Wistar rats from different sources remain unchanged when alcohol is also flavored with 0.1% saccharin. Male Wistar rats from Laboratory of Experimental Biological Models (LEBM) and Krukovo animal farm (K) stocks having had 2 months free access to food, tap water, and 10% alcohol were given four consecutive two-bottle drinking tests: alcohol versus water, alcohol versus sweet water, sweet alcohol versus water, or sweet alcohol versus sweet water. The test order was quasi-random and each test lasted 4 days. In Wistar (K) rats, flavoring of either water or alcohol solution increased consumption of each of the fluids and decreased intake of concurrently available fluids. The elevation in water intake induced by its sweetening was antagonized by flavoring of alcohol solution. In Wistar (LEBM) rats, flavoring of either water or alcohol increased consumption of each of the fluid, but did not change the intake of alternative fluids. The stable alcohol consumption by Wistar (LEBM) rats and its suppression seen in Wistar (K) rats induced by concurrent presentation of flavored water parallel the patterns previously observed among P, sP, and HAD rats suggesting the existence among alcohol-consuming animals of typological diversity of alcohol motivation.