Beneficial Effects of Vitamin B12 and Aureomycin in Rats Given Large Doses of Cortisone.

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Abstract
50 young male albino rats were divided into 5 equal groups and placed on a purified casein-glucose diet. After 2 weeks, all except a control group were injd. for 28 days with 1 mg. of cortisone acetate daily, with or without vit. B12 and/or aureomycin. Cortisone alone induced complete inhibition of body growth, severe alopecia and marked atrophy of the thymus gland. Vit. B12 (200 [mu]g./kg. diet) or aureomycin (0.005%) largely counteracted these inhibitory effects and the 2 together were more effective than either alone. Large doses of cortisone acetate given to young rats on a casein-glucose diet apparently increased their requirements for vit. B12 and other factors. These data corroborate results previously obtained in a similar exptl. on rats fed a corn-soybean meal diet.