Abstract
1. α-Ketoglutarate as well as pyruvate increased in the urine and blood of thiamine-deficient rats. Especially in the urine the in-crease of a-ketoglutarate appeared earlier and was more marked than that of pyruvate. Lactate increased somewhat in the blood of thiamine-deficient rats, but the degree of the increase was far lower than that of the increase in pyruvate.
2. Neither pyruvate nor α-ketoglutarate nor lactate was found to increase in the blood and urine of riboflavin-deficient rats as long as the other components of the vitamin B group were given to them in sufficient quantities.
This work was defrayed by a Grant in Aid for Fundamental Scientific Research from the Department of Education. The authors wish to express their sincere thanks to Prof. Norio Shimazono for his guidance and helpful advice, and are indebted to Mr. Wataru Miyajim a for his technical help.
