Objective The phenomenon of geophagy can be explained as an instinctive desire of an organism to correct material and functional deficiencies using natural miner. This paper discusses the impact of geophagy on behavior and conditioned-reflex activity of Wistar rats subjected to instrumental stress under experimental conditions. Methods Experimental geophagy was simulated by adding zeolite-containing tuff (clinoptilolite) to animal feed, the amount relating to 2% of body mass. Tuff was obtained from areas where animals usually eat subsurface rock. Search activity (SA) of animals and peculiarities of information and emotional stress were studied through the use of a universal problem chamber. Results The results of this experimental study show the negative impact of instrumental stress on laboratory animals, manifested in behavioral dysfunction, in the form of changes in qualitative and quantitative characteristics of search activity. Experimental geophagy contributed to significant improvement in behavioral parameters, confirming the anti-stress effects of the use of natural ingredients. Conclusions These results suggest that, in natural environmental conditions, "edible" rocks serve as an adaptive tool for recovery from various types of environmental stresses, and are an example of self-medication.
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 2014. Vol. 4, №5. P. 362-366.