Abstract
The author 1 presented work which showed that the feeding of raw beef or hog liver to polycythemic (experimental) dogs caused a prompt reduction in their erythrocyte numbers, by depressing hemopoiesis.
Recently, Jacobs 2 has reported that liver extract, prepared for oral use, contains at least 1% of choline.
This report led us to the investigation of the effect of orally administered choline hydrochloride upon polycythemic dogs. Polycythemia was produced experimentally in 2 dogs by placing them for 6 hours daily in a low pressure chamber in which the environmental air pressure was reduced to about 430 mm of mercury by a motor driven vacuum pump. Within 10 days, this procedure had induced consistent increases (27 and 30%) in the erythrocyte numbers of the animals when in an approximately basal state. The hemoglobin percentage (Sahli) was increased correspondingly and reticulocytosis occurred. When 100 mg of choline hydrochloride per day was administered orally, prompt reductions (of IS and 20%) in the red cell counts occurred within 3 days, in spite of daily exposure of the animals to low atmospheric pressure. Reticulocyte percentages were also reduced, but the total leukocyte counts did not change significantly. Upon cessation of choline feeding, the erythrocyte numbers returned to their polycythemic values.
In 2 other dogs, the erythrocyte numbers were increased by 15% by daily oral administration of 8 mg of cobalt chloride per kg of body weight, over periods of 8 to 10 days (for details of method see reference to the author 3 ). Upon feeding 8 mg of choline hydrochloride per kg of body weight per day, in 1% solution by stomach tube, in addition to cobalt, there was a prompt reduction of the erythrocyte numbers to 4 and 6% below normal in 3 days.
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