Hemorrhagic Cortical Necrosis of Adrenals in Rats on Deficient Diets

Abstract

A large % of rats maintained on a variety of diets deficient in some member of the vit. B complex showed marked hemorrhagic cortical necrosis of the adrenals as well as marked reduction in spermatogenesis. Lesions in other organs (except for skin lesions in B6 deficient animals) were infrequent, minor or absent. The only other hemorrhagic manifestations were slight nosebleeds in about 1/4, and gross blood in the gastrointestinal tract in a few. The bone marrow was essentially normal. The panmyelophthisis described by Gyorgy et al. as occurring together with adrenal lesions in rats on deficient diets was found in only 1 animal, and this rat had no adrenal lesions.