XI. PHARMACOLOGY 59 



D. THERAPEUTIC USES 

 1. Gray Hair 



Early in the work on PABA as a vitamin-like substance, Ansbacher'* 

 reported the substance to be elTective against nutritional achromotrichia 

 of rats. Subsequently, Martin and Ansbacher found that PABA cured the 

 gray hair of mice caused by hydroquinone"'^ and nutritional deficiency.^* 

 Emerson,"^ however, could obtain no chromotrichial effect with PABA 

 in grayed rats, although pantothenic acid was effective. Her work was con- 

 firmed by Unna el al.,^^ Henderson et al.,''^ and Brown and Sturtevant.^^ 

 Ershoff,^" who also was unable to confirm the work of Martin, stated that 

 the latter employed near-marginal levels of some of the B-complex vitamins. 



Earlj"^ clinical trials by Sieve^^ and Eller and Diaz^- were said to show 

 evidence of darkening of gray hair in human beings, even though the gray 

 color was of many years' duration. Friedgood^^ also noted a few patients 

 in whom PABA seemed to have chromotrichial activity. Photographs 

 showing darkening of hair were presented by DeVilbiss^"* for a series of 

 sixteen patients who received the substance. Stimulation of libido was 

 noted, and this w^as also claimed by Sieve^* in a series of 600 patients. Also 

 reported in this large series were darkening of gray hair and increased 

 pigmentation of normally pigmented areas as well as of areas lacking pig- 

 mentation. Nevi and freckles almost disappeared. Lactation was increased, 

 and amenorrhea was reheved in some cases. Of twenty-two women sterile 

 for over 5 years, PABA therapy was followed by conception in twelve 

 cases. Male impotency was said to be relieved and some cases of bronchial 

 asthma were improved. Confirmation of these extensive claims has been 

 lacking. 



The effect on gray hair of human beings has not been verified by sub- 

 sequent work. Martino and Fabiano^^ found no effect on white hair when 



" S. Ansbacher, Science 93, 164 (1941). 



" G. J. Martin and S. Ansbacher, J. Biol. Chem. 138, 441 (1941). 

 "5 G. J. Martin and S. Ansbacher, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 48, 118 (1941). 

 7« G. A. Emerson, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 47, 448 (1941). 

 " K. Unna, G. V. Richards, and W. L. Sampson, /. Nutrition 22, 553 (1941). 

 ^8 L. M. Henderson, J. M. Mclntire, H. A. Waisman, and C. A. Elvehjem, /. Nutri- 

 tion 23, 47 (1942). 

 '8 R. A. Brown and M. Sturtevant, Vitamins and Hormones 7, 171 (1949). 

 8" B. H. Ershoff, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 56, 190 (1944). 

 8' B. F. Sieve, Science 94, 257 (1941). 



82 J. J. Eller and L. A. Diaz, N. Y. State J. Med. 43, 1331 (1943). 



83 H. B. Friedgood, New Engl. J. Med. 227, 788 (1942). 

 8^ L. A. DeVilbiss, Med. Woman's J. 49, 341 (1942). 

 86 B. F. Sieve, Southern Med. & Simj. 104, 135 (1942). 



86 L. Martino and A. Fabiano, Boll, .soc ital. biol. sper. 17, 702 (1942) [('. .1. 40, 

 7389 (1946)1. 



