694 PANTOTHENIC ACID 



The nutritional requirement of pantothenic acid is, in all probability, 

 influenced by the intake of some of the other fractions of the vitamin B 

 complex. There are experimental data to show an interrelation between 

 vitamin B12 and pantothenic acid in chicks.^^ Apparently B12 will spare the 

 pantothenic requirement for gro^^i:ih and survival and will prevent the 

 dermatosis. Pantothenic acid similarly showed a sparing effect on the vita- 

 min B12 requirement for the growth of normal chicks. Other data indicate 

 an interrelationship between biotin and pantothenic acid*'^ and also between 

 ascorbic acid and pantothenic acid.^* As mentioned in the previous section, 

 the development of the burning feet syndrome in the prisoners of war as a 

 rule was preceded by the development of symptoms of thiamine, riboflavin, 

 and nicotinic acid deficiency. Similarly, the administration of these frac- 

 tions in some instances decreased the severity of the burning feet syndrome 

 although it definitely was not successful in clearing up this syndrome. Ob- 

 viously, our knowledge of the requirement of pantothenic acid will depend 

 on further data concerning the interrelation of other vitamins and panto- 

 thenic acid. 



The data for the human requirement are inferential, and the daily re- 

 quirement arrived at by these means should under no circumstances be 

 taken as the final word on the subject. 



8« H. Yacowitz, L. C. Norris, and G. F. Heuser, /. Biol. Chem. 192, 141 (1951). 

 »■' G. A. Emerson and E. Wurtz, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 57, 47 (1944). 

 »8 M. E. Dumm and E. P. Ralli, Endocrinology 45, 188 (1949). 



