Effects of Autoxidation on Antiacrodynic Potency of Fats and Linoleic Esters

Abstract

The ability of small quantities of oxidized fats to cure acrodynia was used as a means of testing their nutritive value. The results indicated that rancid methyl linoleate or the fat extracted from turkeys which had been subjected to cold storage for two years alleviated the symptoms but were not as effective as the freshly distilled ester or fresh turkey fat. Tocopherol did not improve the effectiveness of rancid ethyl linoleate and ethanolamine aggravated the symptoms. Drastically oxidized fats or 10, 12 ethyl linoleate were not effective curative agents. When pyridoxine and calcium pantothenate were fed in addition to rancid fat the dermal symptoms were alleviated. This response was not due to pyridoxine or calcium pantothenate alone, but to a combination of the fat- and water-soluble factors. Spectrophotometric analysis of the carcass fats indicated that the various supplements of oxidized linoleic esters were converted to oleic and saturated fatty acids. Pyridoxine and calcium pantothenate seemed to be functional in this process.