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Production of Functional and Fatty Changes in the Liver by a Chronic Vitamin B Complex Deficiency, and Interrelationships with Protein Intake¹

Fourteen Figures

Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut

1. A chronic deficiency of vitamin B complex in dogs fed a high protein (41% casein) diet produced a decrease in voluntary food intake, but liver function tests and hepatic histology remained normal.

2. A similar chronic deficiency of vitamin B complex in dogs on a normal (20% casein) diet produced changes in serum phosphatase and bromsulphalein retention. These changes were not present in inanition-control dogs, fed a similar diet plus an adequate amount of vitamin B complex in the form of yeast. A further reduction of the yeast supplement of the chronically deficient animals produced further changes in the functional tests. Liver biopsies showed the presence of large fat droplets but no necrosis. Inanition-controls showed neither functional nor histological changes.

3. The chronically deficient animals were treated with yeast extract, which restored the liver function to normal and produced a disappearance of the large fat droplets in the liver, even though the protein and caloric intakes were restricted during the period of therapy.

4. It is evident that an interrelationship exists between protein intake and a chronic deficiency of the vitamin B complex. Indeed, under conditions of controlled inanition a chronic deficiency of the complex can be shown to play a definite role in producing liver injury.

Manuscript received 13 October 1947.