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Biotin Balance in the Albino Rat¹

Departments of Home Economics, and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Evidence is presented that biotin from some non-dietary source was eliminated in the feces of rats on rations containing raw egg-white. The excess biotin in the urine and feces over that contained in the ration ingested ranged from 0.6 µg to 9.4 µg per day. The excess biotin presumably originated from synthesis of biotin by intestinal microorganisms rather than from the withdrawal of biotin stores in the liver, kidney or other body tissues. The main site of synthesis in the digestive tract appeared to be the cecum and large intestine.

Of the total biotin eliminated from 5 to 40% was found in the urine and from 60 to 95% was present in the feces.

The fixation of biotin by avidin was more apparent at the higher levels of biotin in the ration.

This work was supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

Manuscript received 15 July 1946.