Liver Extract Therapy in Splenectomized Anemic Rats

Abstract

The therapeutic effect of liver extract on splenectomized anemic rats was investigated with the principal object of inquiring into the possibility of developing a biological assay for liver extracts. Great similarity between this severe rat anemia and human pernicious anemia had been noted by several observers, Lauda going so far as to name the disease “perniziöse Anämie” in rats. 1 At the time of our research we were unaware of the recently completed work of Vedder, who found that liver extract therapy was of no value in the treatment of this anemia. 2

Our experiments confirmed this finding. In a series of 40 splenectomized rats (averaging 40 gm. in weight, the experimental animals being fed from 0.0125 gm. to 0.4 gm. of Lilly's liver extract No. 343 per day) no effects of the extract were noted as judged by the mortality rate, length of life after splenetic, and total erythrocyte count. Fifty-seven per cent of the experimental animals died in a period of from 6 to 26 days after splenectomy, average 15 days; 60% of the controls died in a period of from 5 to 25 days after splenectomy, average 13 days. No significant differences were noted in the erythrocyte counts of the control and experimental animals.