Effect of Oral Administration of Iodoacetic Acid on Cystine Content of Rats. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The addition of iodoacetic acid to a low-protein basal diet results in a statistically significant lowering of the total sulfhydryl (calculated as cystine) content of rats ingesting this diet, as contrasted to animals given the basal diet alone. The supplementing of the iodoacetic acid-containing basal diet with either l-cystine or dl-methionine prevents the lowering in total sulfhydryl concentration in the tissues of rats and, indeed, permits a final sulfhydryl content higher than that found for control animals fed the basal diet alone. These data would appear to support the conclusion that orally administered iodoacetic acid exerts an influence on the sulfur metabolism of the organism.