Effects of Cecectomy, Succinylsulfathiazole, and p-Aminobenzoic Acid on Vitamin K Synthesis in the Intestinal Tract of Rats

Day, Harry G.; Wakim, Khalil G.; Krider, Merle M.; O'Banion, E. E.

doi:10.1093/jn/26.6.585

Cited by 14 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…It is believed that the high concentration of bacteria in the cecum points to this organ as the focus of intestinal B vitamin synthesis, and we might assume that biotin was synthesized in the ceca of hens on the dextrin-containing ration. Several good studies on the rat indicate, in fact, that the cecum is the site of the greatest synthesis of B vitamins: Guerrant et al, 1935;Mitchell and Isbell, 1942;Taylor et al, 1942;Day et al, 1943;McGregor et al, 1947. The ingenious method of Mitchell and Isbell revealed the rat's cecum to absorb the greatest proportion of the various B vitamins synthesized therein by bacteria. Is the chicken similar to the rat in this respect?…”

Section: Downloaded Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

The Intestinal Microflora of Hens as Influenced by Various Carbohydrates in a Biotin-deficient Ration

1948

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The chicken is an animal of great economic importance and is widely used in the assay of certain vitamins, but little is known about its intestinal flora. The first study of the microbial flora of the chicken's intestinal tract was conducted by Kern (1897). His investigations embraced not only the chicken and other gallinaceous birds, but many of the common wild birds. Other work on the microflora of chickens has been reported by Rahner (1901), King (1905), Gage (1911), Menes and Rochlin (1929), and Emmel (1930). All of these workers agreed that Escherichia coli and Aerobacter aerogenes made up the greatest proportion of the intestinal flora. Other types of microorganisms commonly found in the chicken's intestines by these workers were lactobacilli, micrococci, pseudomonads, bacilli, sarcinae, clostridia (in two instances), and yeasts. Unfortunately, none of these studies was quantitative, and some were not too exact from a qualitative standpoint. The type of dietary carbohydrate has a marked effect on the intestinal flora of animals. Early studies on the subject are well reviewed by Rettger and Cheplin (1921), who presented further evidence concerning the influence of carbohydrate upon the intestinal microflora. Later studies have confirmed and enlarged upon these earlier reports (Evenson, 1947). From the standpoint of vitamin synthesis, the type of carbohydrate in the diet is an important factor. Elvehjem and Krehl (1947) have reviewed this subject, hence an account of specific reports on the role of carbohydrates upon intestinal biosynthesis of vitamins will be unnecessary. Elvehjem and Krehl state, "One might place the carbohydrates in the following decreasing order in their favorable effect on vitamin requirement: dextrin, starch, lactose, glucose, sucrose, although this varies with different vitamins." The work presented in this paper was carried out over a period of six months in connection with a nutritional investigation (Couch et al., 1948) that was performed to determine the effects of different carbohydrates upon the intestinal synthesis of biotin by chickens. The microbiological work had as its objective the determination of the influence of various carbohydrates upon the numbers and kinds of microorganisms in the intestinal tract.

show abstract

Section: Downloaded Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

The Intestinal Microflora of Hens as Influenced by Various Carbohydrates in a Biotin-deficient Ration

1948

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Feces of normal rats fed a sub-optimum "diluted Purina ration" contained more folic acid, pyridoxine, and pantothenic acid but, for no apparent reason, less thiamie. Day, et al (16) produced evidence which ildicates that the cecum of the rat may be the main site of vitamin K synthesis as well as for absorption of this fat soluble vitain. However, their results indicated that the cecum was not the only location for the synthesis of vitamin K since cecectomized rats on a ration deficient only in vitamin K grew well and evidenced no vitamin K deficiency unless one per cent sulfasuxidine was incorporated in the ration; rats with intact ceca on the same ration with sulfasuxidine evidenced no vitamin K deficiency.…”

Section: Intestinal Micro0rgani5m3mentioning

confidence: 99%

Some Considerations of the Biological Importance of Intestinal Microörganisms 1

Johansson¹,

Sarles²

1949

Bacteriological Reviews

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The relationship of intestinal bacteria to the well-being of the host has been of general interest for over sixty years. Despite numerous studies conducted to determine the r6les of these organisms in health and disease, their functions are not completely understood. The kinds of bacteria found in the digestive tract and their distribution have been extensively studied in many animal species including man. It is known that the ecology of the intestines is very complex; changes which have been found to occur in the numbers and kinds of microorganisms in the intestines are difficult to explain. Nutritionists, bacteriologists and physicians now tend to regard intestinal microorganisms as sources of nutrilites indispensable to the animal host, particularly if the diet is poorly balanced; previously these organisms had been considered only as potential causative agents of gastro-intestinal disturbances. Many of the early investigators considered intestinal bacteria as saprophytes whose putrefactive metabolic products were harmful. Later, it was realized that there are two main types of intestinal bacteria: acid-producing or saccharolytic species, and proteolytic species. The latter group always has been considered harmful or undesirable, but their true significance is not settled. Acidproducing species, on the contrary, always have been deemed desirable for proper conditions in the intestinal tract. Recently, with the help of the rapid advances made in the field of nutrition, considerable evidence has been accumulated which indicates that intestinal bacteria are important in supplying essential growth substances to the host, although it is not certain that they are indispensable. Earlier work now can be re-evaluated with more assurance of drawing valid conclusions. However, there still exists a variety of viewpoints which may eventually be consolidated when more basic work is accomplished. Probably the first observation of intestinal micro6rganisms was made by Leeuwenhoek (17) in about the year 1674. Many of the organisms he saw with his simple microscope no doubt were bacteria. Two centuries later, Escherich initiated what is considered to be the first comprehensive study of intestinal bacteria in human infants, and laid the foundlation for future work in this field. THE RULES OF INTESTINAL BACTERIA The present tendency of modern nutritionists to think of intestinal microorganisms in terms of their nutritional importance to their host is based on a I Published with the permission of the Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.

show abstract

“…The nutritional significance of intestinal microorganisms was indicated by early work (Cooper, 1914;Theiler et al, 1915), and during recent years it has been established that all the vitamins of the B complex, as well as vitamin K, may be synthesized in the alimentary tract of animals as a result of the activity of these intestinal organisms (Wegner et al, 1941;Day et at., 1943;Elvehjem, 1946). In addition, information has been obtained concerning the effect of different carbohydrates on the intestinal synthesis of B vitamins (Elvehjem and Krehl, 1947).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%