Exploration of lauric acid as a potentiator for enhancing warfarin toxicity to rats

We conducted laboratory feeding trials to evaluate the effectiveness of lauric acid, a naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid, for enhancing the toxicity of warfarin to three species of Hawaiian rats (Rattus norvegicus, R. rattus, R. exulans). We offered oats treated with one of three concentrations trations 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 warfarin-lauric acid combinations enhanced mortality in any of the three species. Nor did pre-exposing rats to lauric acid improve its effectiveness. R. rattus and R. exulans exposed to the highest concentration of lauric acid (1.0%) reduced their consumption of toxic baits. At the concentrations evaluated, lauric acid appears to have little potential as a bait additive for enhancing the toxicity of warfarin to rats.