Evidence of Another Factor in the B Complex for Rats

Abstract

B1 (Thiamin), flavin, nicotinic acid, B6, and the filtrate factor are generally accepted as distinct components of the B complex for rats. Recent work on other species of animals by Morgulis, Wilder, and Eppstein1 and by Jukes and Babcock2 indicates that antimuscular dystrophy and antiparalytic factors exist, while Stockstad3 reports evidence of a distinct growth factor U for the chick.The work herein reported has been confined to the differentiation of the various factors of the B complex which are necessary for the rat. Three-weeks-old rats of 30 to 35 g weight were placed in groups of 6 in screen bottom metal cages and received weighed amounts of the supplemented diets furnishing the desired quantity of each supplement per day. The basal ration contained 60% alcoholic extracted washed casein 18.0, salt mixture 3.7, cod liver oil (Squibb) 4.0, and sucrose to 100%. Three and one-half percent of water was added to prevent rancidity. The washed casein was prepared by washing commercial casein 14 days with ...