title: Zinc status in vitamin B6 deficiency.
abstract: Three groups of young male Wistar rats were maintained on diets consisting of 7 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride/kg diet (control and pair-fed groups) and 0 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride/ kg diet (deficient group) for six weeks. The zinc status of all rats was assessed by measuring their erythrocyte zinc-metallothionein-1 (Zn-Mt-1) and plasma zinc levels. A significant difference (p < 0.001) in plasma zinc levels was observed between the deficient group and the control and pair-fed groups (1.35 micrograms/ml +/- 0.08, 1.99 micrograms/ml +/- 0.06 and 2.03 micrograms/ml +/- 0.07 respectively). Erythrocyte Zn-Mt-1 levels were significantly lower in vitamin B6 deficient rats when compared to control animals. No significant difference in Zn-Mt-1 levels existed between vitamin B6 deficient and pair-fed groups suggesting that the reduced Zn-Mt-1 levels in vitamin B6 deficient rats may be due entirely to their decreased food intake (8.9 g/day compared to 15 g/day of control rats).
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Physiology and Physiological Chemistry, University of Durban-Westville, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pillay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gathiram
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ubbink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000097:blood; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D026681:Vitamin B 6 Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015430:Weight Gain; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc