THE EFFECT OF NIACIN ON THE PYRIDINE NUCLEOTIDE CONTENT OF HUMAN BLOOD CELLS IN ANEMIA

Abstract

The pyridine nucleotide content of the blood cells (PN/BG) of four normal individuals and five anemic patients was measured repeatedly before and after supplementing the diet with niacin. Daily doses of 50 mgm. nicotinic acid or nicotinamide failed to affect the values in the normal subjects and two well-nourished anemic patients. The same dose of nicotinic acid rapidly raised the PN/BC of three poorly nourished anemic patients to values approximating those of well-nourished subjects with similar degrees of anemia. The results obtained after saturation with niacin confirmed the previous report that the PN/BC is higher in anemic patients than in normal controls and that a negative correlation exists between the pyridine nucleotide values and the severity of the anemia. In spite of continued niacin therapy, correction of the anemia was accompanied by a gradual decrease in the values until they approached those of the normal subjects. The present findings also confirm the earlier report that changes in the PN/BC are apparently independent of moderate variations in the number of circulating leucocytes and reticulocytes and bear no relationship to the size or hemoglobin content of the red cells. The significance of these findings in relation to human niacin nutrition is discussed.