Relation of skin lesions in the rat to deficiency in the diet of different B2-vitamins

Abstract

Deprivation of riboflavin caused cessation of growth and development of several skin and eye symptoms in rats; the skin became eczematous especially round nostrils and eyes, with occurrence of conjunctivitis, blepharitis and corneal opacity. Young rats deprived of filtrate factor increased in weight at a subnormal rate and the fur became matted and stringy and was often stained with a secretion containing proto-porphyrin; greying of pigmented fur also occurred. In deprivation of vit. B6, the characteristic dermatitis was developed and was promptly cured when the vit. was given; after prolonged deprivation epileptiform fits took place. The relation of the above skin symptoms to the different members of the vit. B2 complex was not always specific, a fact which maybe explained by material interaction ]in the organism of these vit. Starches of cereal origin appeared to be contaminated with vit. B6 and this became more readily available to the rat when the starch was cooked with water.