Effect of oral contraceptive agents on nutrients: II. Vitamins

Clinical, biochemical and nutritional data were collected from a large population of women using oral contraceptive agents. Higher incidence of abnormal clinical signs related to malnutrition were observed in the lower (B) as compared to the higher (A) socioeconomic groups, and also in the nonsupplemented groups as compared to the supplemented groups in the B subjects. As a rule the intake of oral contraceptive agent subjects of vitamin A, C, B6 and folic acid did not differ from that of the controls As expected, subjects from the supplemented groups had higher intake of vitamin A, C, B6, thiamin, riboflavin and folic acid, and A groups had higher intake of vitamin C, B6, riboflavin and folic acid. Increased plasma vitamin A and decreased carotene levels were observed in oral contraceptive agent users. In general oral contraceptive agents had little or no effect on plasma ascorbic acid. Urinary excretion of both thiamin and riboflavin in subjects using oral contraceptive agents were lower in A groups. Erythrocyte folate and plasma pyridoxal phosphate was decreased in A groups due to oral contraceptive agents. Subjects who took supplements had higher levels of plasma vitamin A, ascorbic acid and folate. But urinary thiamin and riboflavin were higher only in group A subjects who took supplements.

Nutrition of the elderly at home II. Intakes of vitamins

The vitamin intakes of 77 men and 187 women aged 65 and over living at home were studied using seven-day dietary records. Intakes of ascorbic acid were below 10 mg/day in 5 per cent 25 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women took less than 50 i.u./day of vitamin D. Intakes of other vitamins (vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, pyridoxine, and folate) were, in general, adequate, except for small numbers of subjects. The findings are compared with those of the Panel on Nutrition of the Elderly (1972).

Controlled Comparison of Oral Twice-weekly and Oral Daily Isoniazid plus PAS in Newly Diagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis

A controlled clinical trial was undertaken in 247 patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis to assess the relative efficacies of a fully supervised twice-weekly oral regimen of isoniazid plus PAS (para-aminosalicylic acid) and a standard self-administered daily regimen of the same drugs following an initial intensive phase of two weeks of daily streptomycin, PAS, and isoniazid. Among patients who had isoniazid-sensitive cultures initially and who attended the clinic regularly the numbers with a favourable bacteriological response at the end of the year of chemotherapy were 79 (88%) out of 90 for the twice-weekly regimen and 72 (87%) out of 83 for the daily regimen; the numbers of patients with considerable radiographic improvement were 54 (60%) and 53 (64%) respectively. Complaints of vomiting or diarrhoea that did not require a reduction of the PAS dosage were made on one or two occasions by 23(21%) out of 109 twice-weekly and 25 (23%) out of 108 daily patients, and on at least three occasions by 4 (4%) and 12 (11%) respectively. Finally, all five patients who had chemotherapy changed on account of hypersensitivity to PAS had been receiving the daily regimen, as also had one patient who died of agranulocytosis.

The oxidation of Schiff bases of pyridoxamine with -oxo acids by manganous ions and peroxidase

1. Oxygen was taken up rapidly when pyruvate was added to mixtures of pyridoxamine and Mn(2+) ions after lag periods that were shortened by peroxidase (donor-hydrogen peroxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.7). 2. The total oxygen uptake was proportional to the pyridoxamine added and was accompanied by the disappearance of pyridoxamine; the pyruvate acted catalytically and hydrogen peroxide was not formed. 3. At pH6 more than half the pyridoxamine that disappeared was accounted for as pyridoxal and ammonia; it is suggested that the primary reaction is the oxidative deamination of the pyridoxamine. 4. Results were similar when alpha-oxobutyrate or glyoxylate were substituted for pyruvate, except that the reactions were slower and the yield of pyridoxal less. 5. The oxidative decarboxylations of alpha-oxoglutarate and phenylpyruvate are catalysed by Mn(2+) ions and these reactions are activated by peroxidase; pyridoxamine increased both the rates and total oxygen uptakes in these reactions, and ammonia was produced. 6. The lag periods in the oxidation of mixtures of pyridoxamine and alpha-oxo acids, catalysed by Mn(2+) ions, were also shortened by traces of colloidal manganese dioxide. 7. It is suggested that the activating effect of peroxidase depends on its catalysis of manganese oxidation.