SummaryAfter 21-day-old weanling rats were maintained on diets deficient in riboflavin the weights of their brains were 19.8% less than those of rats on control diets. In riboflavin deficiency, the myelin lipids, cerebrosides, and sphingomyelin, as well as phosphatidylethanolamine, a significant component of the myelin membrane, were considerably reduced in proportion.It is considered that riboflavin plays some role in the metabolism of essential fatty acids in brain lipids and the pathological effect of its deficiency is similar to that of essential fatty acid deficiency, causing a fast impairment to brain development and maturation.
Zinc and essential fatty acid deficiencies manifest similar syndromes provoking investigations into the mechanisms underlying their metabolic interactions. This article presents a lucid and concise review of literature on the possible connection between these important dietary nutrients as exemplified by the role of zinc in modulating intestinal lipid transport and prostaglandins metabolisms as well as maintenance of membrane structural and functional integrity. Reports of investigations on zinc and essential fatty acid deficiencies, regarding their pleitropic effects on clinically important enzymes, from the laboratory of the authors were also considered.
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