ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS, VITAMIN B6, AND OTHER FACTORS IN THE CURE OF RAT ACRODYNIA

Abstract

Dermal abnormalities in the rat have been recognized as having a dual origin; nix., from an "essential" fatty acid deficiency (Burr and Burr, 1929), or a vitamin Bs deficiency (Gyorgy, 1935).That some relationship exists between these two deficiencies was suggested by the finding of Birch and Gyijrgy (1936) that certain fats cured the dermatitis as produced by vitamin Bc, deficiency.The point was emphasized when Quackenbush, Platz, and Steenbock (1939) showed that linoleic acid, curative in "essential fatty acid deficiency," was also curative for acrodynia.Birch (1938) examined the relation of vitamin Bs and the fatty acids of corn oil in the cure of acrodynia and concluded that at least two factors were operative, vitamin Bg and a second factor present in corn fatty acids.This was based on the observation that a vitamin Bg preparation failed to cure rat acrodynia unless the fatty acids from corn oil were fed as well.However, Quackenbush, Platz, and Steenbock (1939) had shown that the fatty acids from corn oil cured acrodynia when fed alone and hence apparently no additional vitamin Bg was needed.This suggested that either (1) fatty acid preparations from corn oil contained vitamin Be in addition to the second factor postulated by Birch or (2) corn oil fatty acids were capable of supplanting vitamin Bg plus any other factor necessary in the cure of acrodynia.It was the purpose of this investigation to examine these possibilities and to study further