Growth Response and Vitamin B12 Tissue Levels in Vitamin B12-Deficient Rats and Chicks Fed Riboflavin, 5,6-Dimethylbenzimidazole and Related Compounds
- 1 April 1952
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Elsevier in Journal of Nutrition
- Vol. 46 (4), 467-478
- https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/46.4.467
Abstract
Several synthetic compounds were tested for their growth-promoting ability in rats and chicks maintained on vitamin B12-deficient diets. The compound 1-α-D-ribofuranosido-5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole was found to be most potent. Among the other compounds possessing activity were 1-β-D-ribofuranosido-5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, riboflavin, 1(1′-D-ribityl)-5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, 1,2-dimethyl-4-amino-5-ribitylaminobenzene, and 1,2-diamino-4,5-dimethylbenzene. The livers and kidneys of rats and chicks fed vitamin B12-low diets supplemented with a variety of compounds containing the 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole moiety were assayed for vitamin B12 content. Only those animals fed vitamin B12 had appreciable stores of this vitamin in the kidneys and livers. There appeared to be no consistent correlation between growth and tissue stores of vitamin B12 when the chicks were fed several synthetic compounds. Digestion of tissues with pancreatin or trypsin prior to assay results in markedly elevated vitamin B12 assays. However, there is also an increase in microbiologically-active material not destroyed by boiling in 0.2 N NaOH for one-half hour.Keywords
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