Enzymic Efficiency in Avitaminosis. ∗

Abstract

In previous studies 1 we found that in vitamin B deficiency there is a marked reduction in the efficiency of digestion of pancreatic lipase but no demonstrable disturbance in the activity of either trypsin or erepsin. We have now completed considerable work with other enzymes in vitamin A as well as vitamin B deficiency. A preliminary report at this time might, therefore, be of interest to other workers in this field.

The biological technique employed was the same as previously described. 1 The methods of titrating the enzymes were outlined recently. 2

The results can be best presented by submitting summarized data in tabular form. Various stages of avitaminosis were studied. The following tables, however, represent general summaries of average results for all the different stages of vitamin deficiencies.

An examination of the tabular data discloses that the most marked changes in vitamin B₁ deficiency are decreases in pancreatic lipase and pancreatic esterase activity. In a deficiency of the vitamin B complex, in addition to considerable decrease in efficiency of pancreatic lipase and esterase, a pronounced increase in concentration of blood serum phosphatase was observed. In vitamin A deficiency the most outstanding feature is the large decrease in concentration of blood serum esterase and the increase in hepatic lipase.

In so far as the relation of vitamins to digestion is concerned, the only influence found to date is the marked decrease in efficiency of digestion of fats in vitamin B₁ deficiency. We found no disturbance in digestion of proteins or starches in either vitamin A or vitamin B deficiency.