Rat cheek gland compounds: Behavioural response to identified compounds

Abstract

<span style="font-size: 15.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.5pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";="" color:black"="">Cheek gland secretions from sexually mature and reproductively active male and female laboratory rats (Wister strain ). <i>Rattus nonvegicus albinus </i>were analysed by gas chromatognphy/mass spectroscopy. Alkanes, aliphatic acids esters and alcohols were identified in the secretions. Cheek gland preparation from males contained predominantly three compounds,

<i><span style="font-size:15.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.5pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";="" color:black"="">viz. </span></i><span style="font-size:15.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";color:black"="">di-n-octyl phthalate (I); 1,2- benzene diacarboxylic acid butyl (2 -ethyl hexyl) ester (II ): and 1,2 benzene dicarboxylic acid (2-methylpropyl) ester (III) whereas in the cheek gland of females two compounds, <i>viz, </i>1,2-benzene dicarboxylic acid (2-methylpropyl) ester (I); and 2,6,10 dedecatrien-1-o1, 3,7, 11-trimethyi-(Z, E) (II) were the major fractions. The identified compounds were tested for odour preferences. Compounds II and III of males and I and II of females attracted both male and female conspecifics. By contrast, compound I from males only attracted females. The level of attraction also varied from compound to compound. The results suggest that cheek gland secretions have pheromonal functions.

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