ANEURINE (thiamine) 



of anaemia, in certain cardiovascular disturbances and in subacute 

 combined degeneration of the cord, aneurine deficiency is usually 

 associated with deficiencies of other members of the vitamin B 

 complex.* 



Aneurine is probably of no value in diabetes,"^ diabetic neuritis,^ 

 or pre-eclamptic toxaemia.^ 



Wernicke's encephalopathy, characterised by anorexia, vomiting, 

 nystagmus, and emotional changes with, subsequently, mental and 

 eye changes, was observed in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp,^^ and 

 was cured rapidly and completely by injections of aneurine. As acute 

 aneurine deficiency appeared to be the sole cause of the condition, the 

 name cerebral beriberi is suggested. 



In pyloric stenosis, colitis and fevers, the diet may be limited with 

 reduction of the vitamin B^ intake to a figure below that essential for 

 adequate metabolism, which is generally taken to be 2 to 3 mg. a day, 

 so that vitamin B^ deficiency may accompany these conditions. 



The symptoms present in these special types of polyneuritis are 

 similar in every respect to those described above as characteristic of 

 beriberi. They differ in detail from those encountered in other 

 polyneuritides. 



A deficiency of aneurine leads almost invariably to gastro-intestinal 

 sjmiptoms, especially anorexia and nausea, and administration of 

 aneurine produces immediate relief, though it should be borne in 

 mind that not all forms of anorexia are due to vitamin B^ deficiency. 

 Occasional symptoms of vitamin B^ deficiency are glossitis, achlor- 

 hydria, anaemia and diarrhoea. 



Treatment 



Aneurine hydrochloride is a specific remedy for beriberi and the 

 polyneuritides arising from vitamin Bj deficiency, and its administra- 

 tion in such conditions is generally followed by a quick recovery. 

 From 20 to 50 mg. of crystalline aneurine hydrochloride are given in 

 cases of beriberi by intramuscular or intravenous injection and, after 

 about a fortnight, the same dose may be given orally until the symp- 

 toms are completely relieved. Since patients suffering from vitamin B^ 

 deficiency may also be suffering from other deficiencies, it is frequently 

 necessary to give other vitamins in addition to aneurine, sometimes in 

 the form of liver or yeast extracts. The time required for recovery 

 depends on the extent to which the disease has progressed. Peri- 

 pheral nerves are capable of regeneration as long as the cell body in 

 the spinal cord or posterior ganglion remains viable. Where the cells 

 and axis cylinders of the central nervous system have degenerated, 

 however, restoration cannot take place. The heart condition and 



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