STUDIES ON ANTIVITAMIN B₆ ACTIVITY OF TOXOPYRIMIDINE

Abstract

It was proved both by animal experiments and by bacterial growth that TXP showed an antivitamin B₆ activity under conditions similar to those employed in the case of 4-desoxypyridoxine, a known antimetabolite of pyridoxine. That is, a typical symptom of vitamin B₆ deficiency (acrodynia) was produced in rats with the aid of TXP. It was shown that TXP inhibited the growth action of pyridoxine in vitamin B₆-deficient rats, whose body weight had stopped to increase. TXP was found to possess an antivitamin B₆ action characterized by the abnormal metabolism of tryptophan. TXP inhibited the growth of S. carlsbergensis (IFO 0565), especially in the culture medium containing thiamine. The relationship between TXP and pyridoxine was competitive in a certain concentration range tested.