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Progressive Muscular Dystrophy in Rabbits as a Result of Chronic Choline Deficiency¹

Six Figures

Department of Animal Husbandry and Nutrition, Agricultural Experiment Station, Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn

Progressive muscular dystrophy developed in rabbits that had been fed a choline-deficient diet for more than 70 days. Creatine excretion gradually increased to more than 40 mg/kg/day, while the creatinine excretion decreased to less than two-thirds of the normal value. The posterior extremities became flaccid and extremely weak, although complete loss of muscle control did not occur. Histologic studies on the muscle have shown hyaline degeneration and other lesions characteristic of muscular dystrophy. The addition of choline to the diet brought about a rapid cure of the clinical dystrophy and creatinurea within three days. Vitamin E deficiency as a contributing cause of this dystrophy was ruled out by feeding 10 times the normal amount, and determining the tocopherol content of plasma, muscles and other organs.

For comparison, data on the dystrophy due to a vitamin E deficiency are given, and it has been shown that the addition of 1% acetylcholine to the diet lessened the vitamin E requirement of rabbits.

Manuscript received 11 February 1954.