Significance of reduced food and water consumption in rats intoxicated with vanadium.

1. Male Wistar rats were given, for four weeks, a limited amount of food, or the amount of food and water equal to that consumed by rats drinking solely an aqueous solution of ammonium metavanadate instead of water (AMV) of 0.3 mg V/cm3 concentration. 2. In rats with limited access to food but free access to water, a significant decrease of body weight increment was observed, together with an increase of the haemoglobin level and a decrease in the percentage of reticulocytes and polychromatophilic erythrocytes in the peripheral blood. 3. In the rats which did not receive food and water ad libitum a significant decrease of the body weight increment and an increase of the haemoglobin level were noted. 4. In animals drinking the aqueous AMV solution instead of water the body weight increment diminished significantly, and so did the erythrocyte count and haemoglobin level, whereas the percentage of reticulocytes and polychromatophilic erythrocytes increased in the peripheral blood.