Evening star., 1953-06-01
Grey-Huir Vitumin
Functions Revealed
National Institutes Research
Probes Puntothenic Acid
By Thomos R. Henry

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By Thomos R. Henry
Hitherto unsuspected functions of
pantothenic acid, the gray hair vita
min," are being uncovered in National
Institutes of Health researches.
This member Of the B vitamin FAM
lily, contained in most meats, milk and
some cereals, apparently is one of the
most significant factors in the chem
iStry Of animal life.
Thus far, however, no human has
been found with an actual pantothenic
deficiency. The vitamin must be so
widely distributed in nature that per-
son hardly could eat enough Of any
thing to maintain life without getting
enough. The only possible exceptions
are in prisoner of war camps in the
Far East where the so-called burning
foot" disease, a reddening and burning
sensation in feet and legs. was attrib-
uted to possible deficiency
Its major function, present studies
with experimental animals indicate, Is
to keep intact the cortex of the adrenal
gland A pantothenic acid deficiency
can be produced in rats and mice not
by withholding foods which contain
this vitamin but by including In the
food certain chemical antagonists which
prevent 1t from functioning. In such
cases there are hemorrhages of the
adrenal cortex, source Of cortisone and
q half dozen more essential hormones.
and the tissue degenerates until at last
there is no functioning cortex left.
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Early in the pantothenic acid studies
it was found that the hair of deprived
animals turned gray. Curiously enough.
when the adrenals were removed, the
hair turned black again. Perhaps the
same might work with humans dras-
tic way to get rid of gray hair.
One of the major National Institutes
discoveries, as described by DR.. Floyd
Dart, head of the Nutrition Institute,
is that the vitamin can be almost en-
tirely replaced by massive doses Of
Vitamin c, so-called anti-scurvy vita
min, which is abundant in most fruits.
especially citrus fruits. and fresh vege-
tables. It long has been known that
adrenal tissue is very rich in Vitamin c.
Apparently the effect. Of the panto-
thenic deficiency is on the functioning OF
the anti-scurvy factor in the adrenals.
The particular significance Of this
finding is that 1t may be an opening
wedge into understanding Of the COM
plex relations between diet and the
endocrine gland system Of the body. It
is the first direct association that has
been found.
It also has been established that the
vitamin is an essential part Of CO.
engine A, a substance which is neces-
Sary for carrying out numerous essen
tial syntheSes. leading to the creation
of proteins in the body.
The way is open, DR.. Dart emphasized.
for the study of the actual production
in the body Of endocrine gland prod
ucts, which serve as chemical regula-
tors of life. The field is so vast that
investigators feel they have barely
touched 1t.
Nose Bleed Effect.
Another effect formerly attributed to
pantothenic acid deficiency was nose
bleed sort Of spurious nosebleed in
which q blood-like substance flowed
from the nose. It is now known that
this was form Of prophorin, COM
plex carbon molecule, whose greatest
significance is that it forms the part
of red blood cells to which iron is
attached to be carried through the body.
There are many kinds of prophorin
formed throughout the body mostly
from breakdown products of metabol-
ism.
But the particular prophorin which
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tiny glands back of the eyeballS and
does not enter into the blood picture.
Its actual function Is unknown. In
some way. it is believed. pantothenic
acid stimulates these glands and there
is no way for the product to escape ex-
cept through the nose. The symptom
may be alarming to the victim, but is
not serious.
A still unexplored problem is that Of
the effect of the vitanin on the forma-
ton and functioning Of other kinds Of
prophorin which is essential to life.
Primarily, it is assumed, the body'S
essential supply of pantothenic acid Is
constantly replenished by the minute
amounts of the vitanain in the diet.
1t also, however, is manufactured to
some extent in the animal and prob
ably the human body.
This has been demonstrated by de-
priving rats Of the factor altogether
and keeping them alive by substituting
Vitamin G.
Weeks afterward the amount Of the
vitamin in the body tissue Is somewhat
greater than 1t was at the start Of the
experiment.