Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Rats Deprived of Pantothenic Acid During Pregnancy ,

Abstract

Studies conducted on albino rats during reproduction have revealed that 2% ascorbic acid in a synthetic ration lacking in pantothenic acid had a beneficial effect upon reproductive performance. The presence of the ascorbic acid increased the birth weight of the young slightly. Pantothenic acid concentrations in the tissues of the young at birth and of the mother were higher when ascorbic acid was included in the diet. Blood values for pantothenic acid were comparable to those of stock young when 2% ascorbic acid was mixed with the ration while young born to females deprived of both pantothenic acid and ascorbic acid possessed lower concentrations. Newborn rats produced by females receiving neither pantothenic acid or ascorbic acid also exhibited some rise in blood pyruvic acid. The addition of 2% ascorbic acid to the diet prevented the accumulation of pyruvic acid and the resulting values were more like those found in young of stock females. A single variation from the normal was encountered in histological studies of 4 tissues of the young at birth — that of a decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity of the adrenal when the ration of the female contained neither pantothenic acid or ascorbic acid. When ascorbic acid was incorporated into the ration the alkaline phosphatase activity was much like that found in the adrenals of healthy stock young. The data reveal that in each case where a definite sign of pantothenic acid deficiency was established, ascorbic acid lessened the severity of the deficiency and blood and tissue findings were more nearly like those of normal young. In several instances the protection afforded by the ascorbic acid was equal to that of 100 µg of calcium pantothenate.