Efficiency of Antibiotics in Supplementing the Growth Effect of Beta Carotene in Vitamin A-Depleted Rats.

Abstract

In a study of the comparative efficiencies of several antibiotics on supplementing the growth promoting effect of beta carotene in vitamin A-deficient rats, it was found that these efficiencies ranged from essentially no supplementary effect from sodium acrylate or streptomycin to a 44% increase in the growth rate when tetracycline HC1 was incorporated in the vitamin A-deficient diet. While relationship of the structure of the antibiotic to growth stimulating capacity was not fully apparent, the tetracyclines as a group appeared to be most effective in this respect.