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The Effect of Thiamine Analogs on Embryonic Development and Growth of the Chick¹

Two Figures

Departments of Biochemistry and Poultry Husbandry, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Neopyrithiamine and oxythiamine injected into eggs increased embryonic mortality and decreased hatchability. Oxythiamine was less toxic during the later stages of incubation, whereas neopyrithiamine remained highly toxic during the entire incubation period. The inhibitory action of both antagonists was prevented by the simultaneous administation of thiamine or cocarboxylase. Inhibition ratios of vitamin/antivitamin determined for the 5-day old embryo were 1/10 for thiamine/neopyrithiamine and cocarboxylase/neopyrithiamine; and 1/20 for thiamine/oxythiamine and cocarboxylase/oxythiamine. Polyneuritis was observed in chicks hatching from eggs injected with neopyrithiamine during the later stages of incubation. Oxythiamine failed to produce polyneuritis but caused edema in some embryos that died prior to hatching.

Growth inhibition ratios for young chicks were 1/4 for thiamine/neopyrithiamine and 1/200 for thiamine/oxythiamine. As in the embryo experiments, neopyrithiamine brought forth polyneuritis and oxythiamine caused some local and general tissue edema. The changing effectiveness of the two antivitamins with age is consistent with known changes in developmental metabolism and with the hypothesis that the two antivitamins affect different enzyme systems.

² Present address: Dept. of Poultry Husbandry, Clemson Agricultural College, Clemson, S. C.

³ Present address: McMillen Feed Mills, Decature, Indiana.

Manuscript received 6 July 1954.