Effect of Thiamine Deficiency on Glutathione Contents of Erythrocytes and Tissues in the Rat

Abstract

Thiamine-deficient rats excrete a significant amount of methyl glyoxal which is not found in the urine of treated ones. This phenomenon is probably attributable to reduction of glyoxlase activity in liver. The mechanism for the decrease of this enzymatic action is, however, not clear. Since glutathione is known as an essential co-factor for glyoxlase activity, it becomes important to ascertain whether reduction of glyoxlase activity is related to changes of glutathione content of thiamine-deficient animals. It was found that thiamine deficiency caused a decrease in the glutathione content of erythrocytes and of heart muscle, butan increase in the liver tissue. This increase in the liver glutathione content in thiamine deficient rats suggests that there is no direct correlation with glyoxlase activity.