Journal of Nutrition OpenSOurce Diets- www.ResearchDiets.com

Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


Journal of Nutrition Vol. 24 No. 2 August 1942, pp. 159-166
Copyright © 1942 by American Society for Nutrition
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Purchase Article
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Totter, J. R.
Right arrow Articles by Day, P. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Totter, J. R.
Right arrow Articles by Day, P. L.

Cataract and Other Ocular Changes Resulting from Tryptophane Deficiency1

John R. Totter and Paul L. Day

Department of Physiological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Arkansas, Little Rock

Young rats, from 26 to 78 gm. in weight, which were given a tryptophane-deficient diet developed cataractous changes in from 8 to 82 days. These changes were manifested with or without a concurrent lysine deficiency. The lenticular changes were prevented by supplementation of the diets with 0.1% or 0.2% tryptophane, either when the diet was restricted or given ad libitum. A large proportion of the animals which received diets deficient in both tryptophane and lysine or lacking in either of these amino acids developed vascularity of the cornea. A few showed a generalized ophthalmia.

With the aid of the ophthalmoscope the cataract seen in these animals could be readily distinguished from that resulting both from riboflavin deficiency and from the feeding of galactose or xylose. The vascularity of the cornea seen in these amino acid-deficient animals showed certain features which distinguished it from the vascularity of riboflavin deficiency.

In addition to the ocular lesions noted, other changes associated with the tryptophane deficiency were loss of weight, hunchback, unkempt appearance, alopecia, greasy hair, and nervousness.


1 Research paper no. 527, journal series, University of Arkansas. Most of the data contained in this report were presented at the 35th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biological Chemists in Chicago, Illinois, April 18, 1941 (Totter and Day, '41). The authors are indebted to Miss Virginia Mims for technical assistance.

Manuscript received 21 April 1942.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
ScienceHome page
A. A. ALBANESE, R. MCI. RANDALL, and L. E. HOLT JR.
THE EFFECT OF TRYPTOPHANE DEFICIENCY ON REPRODUCTION
Science, April 2, 1943; 97(2518): 312 - 313.
[PDF]




Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]