Abstract
Healthy young Wistar rats, weighing 80 to 100 g, were divided into two pressure groups : reduced pressure group (for rearing in a tank under 1/2 atmospheric pressure) and normal pressure group (for rearing under atmospheric pressure) . They were subdivided into three feed groups, and fed high-medium, and low-protein diets deficient in vitamin B2 to investigate the metabolism of vitamin B2 and protein under hypoxic reduced pressure. Symptoms of vitamin B2 deficiency in these rats was examined, and total vitamin B2 in blood, changes of body weight, tatal protein and protein fractions in serum, and total lipid and lipid fractions in serum were determined. Then vitamin B2 was administered to these rats to investigate the effect on the improvement of their conditions. The results obtained were as follows :
1) When vitamin B2 was deficient, such symptoms as bad looks of hair, loss of hair, inactivity and weight loss were more remarkable, and disturbance of growth was greater in the rats of the reduced pressure group than in those of the normal pressure group. The appearance of these symptoms was markedly earlier especially in the low-protein group than in the medium-and high-protein groups.
2) Total vitamin in blood was observed to decrease from the beginning of the experiment, especially in the reduced pressure and low-protein group.
3) A slight decrease in total protein and albumin, and an increase in α2-globulin and γ-globulin were observed in blood. These symptoms were comparatively greater in the reduced pressure and low-protein group.
4) The contents of total lipid and lipid fraction in serum increased strikingly. They were higher in the reduced pressure group than in the corresponding control, and comparatively greater in the low-protein group.
5) In the recovery experiment, improvement of vitamin B2 deficient conditions as well as weight gain was observed after administration of the vitamin. Tatal protein and albumin remained unchanged or increased slightly, α2-globulin and γ-globulin tended decrease a little, and total lipid and lipid fractions showed a decrease in serum.
