Abstract
Antivitamin B_6(anti-B_6) activity of α^4-norpyridoxine (4-NOP) was tested using microorganisms and rat. This compound was proved to be a potent vitamin B_6 antagonist in the growth of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Kloeckela apiculata, and the inhibitory activity in the test organisms was comparable to that of 4-deoxypyridoxine. The inhibition indexes for S. carlsbergensis were 125,77 and 550 against pyridoxal, pyridoxamine and pyridoxine (PIN), respectively. In contrast, the compound showed no anti-B_6 activity for vitamin B_6 deficient rat growth when orally administered at the ratio of 4-NOP to PIN, 1,000 to 1. The anti-B_6 activity of several other 4-substituted PIN analogs was also examined using S.carlsbergensis.
