Activated Ergosterol in the Treatment of Rickets

Abstract

In an attempt to repeat the experiments of Hume and Smith,1 Chick and Tazelaar 2 showed that it was not the irradiated air which cured the rachitic rats, but that the cure was effected through the ingested irradiated, excreta-soiled sawdust of the cages. Nelson and Steenbock3showed that nonirradiated rachitic rats kept in the same cages with irradiated rachitic rats were cured, not by the secondary rays emitted from the latter, but by the excreta which they ate. Steenbock and Black 4 induced antirachitic properties into rat rations by exposing the foods to ultraviolet rays. Hess 5 and Steenbock and Nelson 6 almost simultaneously reported the curing of rickets in rats by feeding irradiated food substances. Hess was successful in using irradiated rat skins as treatment for rickets. With irradiated liquid milk, Kramer 7 successfully treated infants who had rickets. Rosenheim 8 and Gy\l=o"\rgy, Yenke and Popoviciu 9 confirmed the work of Hess and Steenbock and their co-workers.Zucker 10 showed that only the nonsaponifiable fraction of cod liver oil was active ; likewise, Koch, Cahan and Gustavson u showed that the nonsaponifiable fraction of cod liver oil was antirachitic. Hess 12 and Steenbock13 independently found that only the nonsaponifiable fraction

Studies on the Mode of Action of Irradiated Ergosterol

“…The literature dealing with the development of irradiated ergosterol has been adequately reviewed in recent articles (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Steenbock (14,15) and Hess (16) in 1924 observed that certain foods, notably oils, milk, and cereals, can be made to possess antirachitic properties by exposure to ultraviolet light.…”

“…(1) Irradiated ergosterol is definitely prophylactic and curative in rickets and rachitic tetany (1,3,8,23). Coincident with clinical improvement, there occurs a rise in the values (if low) of serum calcium and phosphorus, and a normal deposition of lime salts in the bones.…”