Vitamin B Complex and Gastric Secretion

Abstract

Webster and Armour 1 reported that artificially fed dogs with oesophagotomy, gastric fistula, obstructed pylorus and duodenal fistula, in which a condition of practically total avitaminosis had been induced, developed a complete achlorhydria without anorexia and inanition. Administration of powdered brewer's yeast restored the normal secretory activity of the stomach in 3 days. This indicated that for the normal activity of the gastric glands it is necessary that the vitamins contained in yeast, presumably vitamin B complex, be present in the body.

Two experiments on a similarly operated animal are here reported. The aim was to exclude as causative of achlorhydria other vitamins than vitamins B, and to determine if possible which of the latter is essential for the normal functioning of the gastric. mucosa.

First Experiment. The dog, kept on Scott and Ivy's 2 food mixture, was in excellent condition 40 days after the pylorus had been obstructed. This diet was replaced by a diet of glucose, casein, sodium chloride and olive oil. As in the previous experiments the secretion of gastric juice in response to food introduced into the duodenum, subcutaneous administration of 1 mg. histamine and sham feeding gradually diminished. On the 17th day of experiment 50 cc. of olive oil in the diet were replaced by 50 cc. of cod liver oil in order to supply the body with vitamins A and D. In spite of this change in the diet, 2 days later 1 mg. of histamine provoked only 3.0 cc. of mucoid secretion as compared with 40.5 cc. under normal conditions, and the next day only 2.6 cc. On the 21st day daily administration of 10 gm. of brewer's powdered yeast was begun and the special diet was replaced by Scott and Ivy's food mixture. Four days later 1 mg. of histamine provoked an enormous secretion (93.0 cc.) of regular gastric juice. Two days after this, 4 minutes'sham feeding gave 31.5 cc. in 40 minutes. During the whole experimental period the animal lost only 1.6 kg.