Dextrose Administration and Vitamins B. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Young rats weighing 65 to 90 g were maintained for 14 to 21 days on a vitamin B-free diet (casein 10, sucrose 80, butter 4, salts, agar and vitamins A and D). At this time these animals survived fasting but 2 or 3 days. Substitution of a diet of dextrose, supplemented by dextrose solution by stomach tube, permitted survival of from 7 to 16 days.

Vitamin-depleted rats receiving dextrose and thiamine survived 2 to 4 times as long as those receiving only dextrose. Nicotinamide appeared to have some effect, but riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, pantothenic acid and choline had no appreciable effect in prolonging the life of the dextrose-fed rats. All of the foregoing vitamins given together had no further beneficial effect than when thiamine alone was given.

When dextrose was substituted immediately following an adequate vitamin-containing diet, rats survived 19 to 29 days. The injection of thiamine hydrochloride or the vitamin mixture did not appreciably alter the survival time of these animals.