Treatment of Human Pellagra with Nicotinic Acid

Abstract

NICOTINIC ACID TREATMENT IN PELLAGRA 405jections with vitaminized or non-vitaminized horse serum. In all cases stimulation of precipitin-production was noted, the contrast being practically identical with those recorded in Fig. 1.In other groups the method of injection was varied by injecting the horse serum and ascorbic acid separately, such as at different times in the same ear vein, or in different veins, or by giving horse serum intravenously and vitamin C intraiibdominally. Stimulation of specific-precipitin production was noted by all of these technics, confirming the conclusions of Burky' and of Swift and Schultz' in their studies of the immuno-"synergic"$ effects of staphylococcal toxin. The antibody-stimulation, however, was less pronounced in these separate injections than those previously obtained by mixing the horse serum and ascorbic acid before injection.The relative efficiency of ascorbic acid and its sodium salt was also compared in small groups of animals. Sodium ascorbate prepared by Sollmann's technic' was found to be but about half as effective as unneutralized ascorbic acid. Sodium ascorbate, however, is apparently unstable, a commercial preparation tested on a small group of rabbits being without demonstrable antibody-stimulating effect.Pellagrins can be cured while on a maize diet by the oral administration of a filtrate of liver which contains the so-called "filtrate factor" but which is free from riboflavin and rat antidermatitis factor.'

Nicotinic acid– and monomethyl fumarate–induced flushing involves GPR109A expressed by keratinocytes and COX-2–dependent prostanoid formation in mice

“…Nicotinic acid-induced flushing lasts for about 1-2 hours and is associated with a sensation of tingling and burning, causing many patients to discontinue nicotinic acid therapy. The nicotinic acid-induced flush phenomenon was first observed shortly after the discovery of nicotinic acid as a vitamin that can be used to treat pellagra (9,10). In both humans and animal models, nicotinic acid-induced flushing has been reported to be biphasic, with the first peak in intensity occurring shortly after the beginning of the reaction and the second peak after the first has faded (11,12).…”

Effectiveness of food fortification in the United States: the case of pellagra

“…Niacin was identified as an antipellagra agent in 1937. 14,15 A value of 1 was assigned to knowledge for years beginning from 1937 (prior years received zero value). To estimate exposure to food fortification, we assigned an annual fortification score of 1 to each year in which a national-level enrichment program was initiated, a federal enrichment regulation became effective, or a state enrichment law was enacted.…”

“…18 In 1937, nicotinic acid was finally identified as the antipellagra vitamin. 14,15 Around this time, a movement that favored the fortification of grain products began. In a meeting held on March 12, 1936, the Council on Foods and Nutrition (CFN; then known as the Committee on Foods) of the American Medical Association (AMA) announced its general policy on fortification.…”

Nutritional Cytopenia (Vitamin M Deficiency) in the Monkey

“…General Discussion.--The anemia in puppies reported by Fours and associates (14,15) resulting from vitamin Be deficiency was described as a microcytic anemia with no appreciable change in the leukocyte counts. In contrast with that, the condition we are here describing in monkeys appears to be a normocytic anemia accompanied by a profound lowering of the number of leukocytes.…”