Lesions in Rats Given Sulfaguanidine in Purified Diets

Abstract

Rats fed a purified diet deficient in B complex and containing 1% sulfaguanidine regularly develop lesions of blood vessels, voluntary muscles, and bone marrow, and less often lesions of the heart and liver, and hemorrhages into various organs and subcutaneous tissues. All of the animals received supplements of riboflavin, thiamin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, choline, and nicotinic acid, and some received additional supplements of impure biotin concentrates. Arterial lesions consist of focal to extensive calcification, less often hyaliniza-tion or necrosis. These lesions were found in the lungs, heart, kidney, pancreas, thyroid, thymus, stomach, intestines, and mediastinum. Hyalin necrosis of skeletal muscle with or without calcification was found in all locations thus far examined. The muscles were those from leg. thigh, trunk, and esophagus. Lesions of the heart consist of necrosis of muscle, followed by the formation of loose, sparsely cellular scars. Often there is marked thinning of the left ventricular wall with dilatation, particularly at or near the apex. Many animals show marked hydropic swelling of isolated or grouped liver cells. In some instances more than half of all liver cells are involved. Slight to marked bone marrow aplasia (granulocytes) was observed in a majority of the animals.