Growth of Thiamine-Deficient Rats Fed Sorbitol or Antibiotics in Rations of Varying Fat Content

Abstract

Penicillin, sorbitol, or both in combination were added to diets varying in carbohydrate and fat but lacking in thiamine, and the effectiveness of the additives was determined on the growth of rats. Either sorbitol or penicillin consistently increased the growth and survival of thiamine-deficient rats, the magnitude of the growth increase being greatest when the need for thiamine was reduced, namely, on high-fat diets. After longer intervals on the diets there was a supplementary action of penicillin on the effectiveness of sorbitol. The results confirm the report of Yudkin and Morgan ('57) in that rats fed sorbitol grow in the absence of thiamine; it appears that penicillin and sorbitol act in a similar manner, increasing the intestinal synthesis of thiamine.