Acceleration of Pteroylglutamic Acid Deficiency in Mice and Chicks by a Chemical Antagonist

Mice on a purified diet with added succinylsulfathiazole developed no signs of pteroylglutamic acid deficiency within 6 weeks. When a crude synthetic preparation of a pteroylglutamic acid antagonist was added to the diet a syndrome appeared which was characterized by slow growth, anemia and leucopenia. Pteroylglutamic acid prevented the appearance of the syndrome. The development of pteroylglutamic acid deficiency in chicks on a purified diet was aggravated by adding the antagonist to the diet, and the effects of the antagonist were reversed by pteroylglutamic acid.