EXPERIMENTAL NUTRITIONAL MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA: RELATION OF ASCORBIC ACID AND PTEROYLGLUTAMIC ACIDI. Nutritional Data and Manifestations of Animals

Abstract

A DEPENDABLE way has been found to produce a true megaloblastic anemia in monkeys, remarkably similar to that seen in humans, by means of deficient diets alone, without the use of drugs or vitamin antagonists. It became apparent from our experiments that ascorbic acid is involved in the metabolism of pteroylglutamic (folic) acid. A preliminary report has been made.¹ The following paper will provide more complete data concerning the diets, the symptomatology and blood of the animals, and the effect of various treatments. Investigations have been made of the vitamin B12 and pteroylglutamic-acid content of the animals' diets, tissues, and excreta, and also of the metabolism of nucleic acids,² tyrosine,³ and pigments. These items will be the topics of separate reports. It is expected that there will be another report extending the preliminary description of the findings in the blood and bone marrow.⁴ Gross and microscopic