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Effects of Cecectomy, Succinylsulfathiazole, and p-Aminobenzoic Acid on Vitamin K Synthesis in the Intestinal Tract of Rats¹

Departments of Chemistry and Physiology, Indiana University, Bloomington

Young cecectomized rats fed 1% sulfasuxidine in a vitamin K-free diet containing yeast show a high incidence of severe hypoprothrombinemia. Similarly operated animals fed the basal diet alone, without sulfasuxidine, exhibit a very low incidence of hypoprothrombinemia. Likewise, unoperated rats fed the same basal diet with sulfasuxidine added show only a low incidence of hypothrombinemia. The hypoprothrombinemia is readily alleviated by feeding 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone. Cecectomized rats appear to maintain good nutritional status if the diet is fully adequate. The data show that the cecum is an important site of vitamin K synthesis but that this vitamin can be formed in other parts of the intestinal tract.

Young rats fed 1% sulfasuxidine in a purified diet containing B vitamins but no p-aminobenzoic acid develop hypoprothrombinemia and show great restriction in growth. The addition of p-aminobenzoic acid markedly reduces the incidence of hypoprothrombinemia and decreases the restriction on growth. This indicates that p-aminobenzoic acid partially counteracts the effect of sulfasuxidine on vitamin synthesis in the intestinal tract.

Hypoprothrombinemia and impairment of growth may occur to some extent in young rats fed vitamin K-free purified diets containing only 0.08% sulfasuxidine. These effects are more pronounced when the level of sulfasuxidine is raised to 1%.

Hypoprothrombinemia is more prevalent when hydrolyzed casein, instead of "vitamin-free" casein, is the source of amino acids in purified diets containing sulfasuxidine.

² Some of the data reported in this paper were taken from a thesis to be submitted by Merle M. Krider in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree.

Manuscript received 8 July 1943.