EFFECT OF DEFICIENCY IN MAN 



Specifically to lack of this factor, although mental symptoms and 

 white blood-cell changes were observed.^ Not unnaturally, therefore, 

 attention has mainly been directed to the effect of pyridoxine on 

 different forms of anaemia and nervous symptoms, that is, on conditions 

 associated with vitamin Bg deficiency in animals. 



Anaemia 



Spies et al}*^ claimed that the administration of 50 mg. of pyri- 

 doxine relieved within four hours certain symptoms remaining after 

 treatment of undernourished patients with nicotinic acid, aneurine 

 and riboflavine. These symptoms included extreme nervousness, 

 insomnia, irritability, abdominal pain, weakness and difficulty in 

 walking. Subsequently, Vilter et al.^ reported that pellagrins with 

 macrocytic anaemia, and patients with pernicious anaemia, experienced 

 a sense of well-being following the daily injection for ten days of 50 

 to 100 mg. of pyridoxine. Only a slight reticulocytosis occurred, 

 however, though the white cell count increased in a striking manner 

 (see page 324). Pyridoxine was shown to be different from the anti- 

 pernicious anaemia factor, and, since it failed to give an increased 

 reticulocyte response after incubation with human gastric juice, from 

 Castle's extrinsic factor (page 498). 



Kark et al^ showed that pyridoxine was without effect in idio- 

 pathic hypochromic anaemia and in nutritional macrocytic anaemia ; 

 it failed to improve cases of alcoholic pellagra and endemic pellagra. 

 There is no evidence, therefore, that pyridoxine will cure the more 

 usual types of human anaemia. 



Nervous Disorders 



Nor is there convincing evidence of its value in the treatment of 

 nervous disorders, although numerous workers have claimed that it 

 has a beneficial effect in muscular dystrophy and related conditions, 

 especially in association with tocopherol. Thus, W. Antopol and 

 C. E. Schotland* reported considerable improvement in six cases of 

 pseudo-hypertrophic muscular dystrophy, whereas H. M. Keith ^ 

 reported no increase in muscle strength after the intramuscular injec- 

 tion of 100 to 200 mg. weekly for two to eight months. Rosenbaum 

 et al.,^ however, claimed to have obtained an increase in muscle 

 strength by the intravenous injection of pyridoxine in neurasthenic 

 hyperthyroidism and ulcerative colitis, but not in myasthenia gravis, 

 whilst A. B. Baker ' obtained some slight improvement in a small 

 proportion of cases of idiopathic and arteriosclerotic parkinsonism, 

 and Vilter et al.^ an increase in strength in cases of peripheral neuritis 



323 



