PENICILLAMINE AND VITAMIN B6INTERRELATIONSHIPS IN THE RAT

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Abstract
DL-Penicillamine administered in the diet at the 0.25% level produced a marked lowering of food intake and body weight. Using blood transaminase activities as criteria, a definite antagonism to vitamin B6 was demonstrated. The response of animals to the drug did not differ between sexes. Trans -aminase activity changes were apparent within 13 days of treatment. They were not the result of a reduced food intake. Administration of 800 [mu]g of pyridoxine hydrochloride /10 g diet to animals receiving penicillamine approximated the maximal prevention of the effects of the drug upon food intake, body weight, and transaminase activity. The effects were not completely prevented by dosages of vitamin B6 as high as 2000 [mu]g /10 g of diet. Attention is drawn to the possible significance of these studies in the treatment of patients (Wilson''s disease) with penicillamine. On the basis of extrapolations from the present studies in rats, 50 mg of pyridoxine hydrochloride might be expected to give near-maximal protection against possible vitamin B6-antagonistic effects of 1.5 g of DL-penicillamine.

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