Certain Metabolic Effects of Niacin and Priscoline

Abstract

Adult female rats of the Long-Evans strain were divided into 3 groups and fasted for 5 days. During this time 1 group received daily intraperit. injns. of 7 cc. physiological salt soln., another group the same containing 35 mg. of niacin and the 3d group the same containing 20 mg. Priscoline. Both niacin and Priscoline caused an increase in the excretion of urinary acetone bodies although total liver lipid was not altered. Liver glycogen levels were elevated in the niacin group, lowered in the Priscoline group. Urinary nitrogen values were increased in both the niacin and Priscoline animals. It was not possible to correlate the appearance of excessive amts. of urinary ketone bodies with fat or carbohydrate levels in the animals.