Impaired Water Metabolism in Pyridoxine Deficiency and Effects of Pyridoxine and Adrenal Cortical Hormone

Abstract

Pyridoxine-deficient rats showed a reduced diuretic response to ingested water and a lowered resistance to water intoxication regardless of whether the deficiency developed slowly by feeding a pyridoxine-free diet or was accelerated by admn. of the vit. antagonist, desoxypyridoxine. The prophylactic use of either pyridoxine hydrochloride or adrenal cortical hormones acted to restore an essentially normal diuretic response in pyridoxine-deficient animals. The findings corroborate previous morphological observations which demonstrated that adrenal dysfunction exists in this avitaminotic state.