Antirachitic Properties of Cod Liver Oil Concentrate.

Abstract

Cod liver oil causes retention of lime salts and also cures and prevents rickets when administered orally. The assumption, therefore, was made that the beneficial effects of this agent result from its acting directly on the mucosa of the gastro-intestinal tract. Thus, Zucker and Matzner 1 were unable to obtain healing in rachitic rats with a subcutaneous injection of an extract of cod liver oil, although when administered orally it was invariably-potent. Similarly, Lesne and Vogliano 2 failed to cure rickets in rats when cod liver oil was injected hypodermically. On the other hand, Soames 3 reported moderate healing of rickets when cod liver oil was injected either subcutaneously or intraperitoneally. Hess, Weinstock and Hellman 4 were successful in curing rickets with an aqueous suspension of irradiated cholesterol administered subcutaneously; and Wilkins and Kramer 5 have shown that an ether solution of a concentrate of cod liver oil is capable of curing severe rickets in children.

The experiments briefly reported here may shed some light on the discrepancies in the literature just mentioned. The results of these experiments, in which 60 rats were used, are as follows:

1. The unsaponifiable fraction∗ of cod liver oil from which most of the cholesterol had been removed (crude concentrate) cured experimmtal rickets within 14 days when injected subcutaneously in ether solution. The same result was obtained when it was incorporated in cottonseed oil and added to a rickets-producing diet. The curative dose was equivalent to 2 cc. of cod liver oil.

2. When entirely freed from cholesterol by means of digitonin precipitation, an active concentrate was obtained which cured experimental rickets both when fed, and when injected in ether solution. The curative dose was equivalent to 2 cc. of cod liver oil.