VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXIN) DEFICIENCY IN HUMAN BEINGS

Abstract
Last year Spies, Bean and Ashe1 described a syndrome in four persons characterized by "extreme nervousness, insomnia, irritability, abdominal pain, weakness and difficulty in walking," which disappeared dramatically following the intravenous administration of 50 mg. of synthetic vitamin B6 (pyridoxin). Since this report was published we have observed and treated with identical results twenty similar cases in which there were residual symptoms of nutritional deficiency which could not be relieved with synthetic nicotinic acid, synthetic thiamine hydrochloride or synthetic riboflavin.2 In order to obtain more evidence concerning this deficiency state in human beings, we have used the method devised by Scudi, Unna and Antopol3 to investigate the urinary excretion of normal persons taking an adequate diet and of persons with clinical evidence of pellagra, beriberi, riboflavin deficiency and vitamin B6 deficiency. MATERIAL AND METHODS Five normal persons in the laboratory and six patients whose deficiency