Maintenance of Life in Adrenalectomized Animals with Flavin Phosphate

Abstract

The recent work of Verzár and Laszt has suggested that the possible function of cortin in the animal body is to convert protovitamin B2 (Flavin) to Vitamin B2 (Flavin phosphate). The mortality rate of their adrenalectomized animals was materially reduced by injections of Flavin phosphate. It is the purpose of this communication to confirm the work of Verzár and Laszt and to present additional data. Normal rats were adrenalectomized and divided into several series of 15 rats each as follows: (1) Rats receiving 0.15 cc. Flavin phosphate daily, (2) rats receiving 0.03 cc. Flavin phosphate daily, (3) rats receiving 0.03 cc. Flavin phosphate and 50 mg. ascorbic acid daily, (4) those receiving 0.25 cc. cortin and those (5) receiving no medication. There were also control series. The Flavin phosphate was prepared by the method of Karrer, Salomon, Schopp and Benz and Kuhn and Rudy and also by applying Kuhn's method to yeast which Stern used to extract photoflavins from liver. The rats were placed on the Flavin free diet of Verzár and Laszt whereas another group was placed on the ordinary preoperative rat diet. The results can be summarized as follows: Rats receiving 0.15 cc. daily of Flavin phosphate maintained normal weight and activity for 3 weeks and were finally autopsied to confirm adrenalectomy.