Effect in man of large doses of pyridoxine on serum cholesterol.

ATHEROSCLEROTIC plaques observed ,. in man and several species of animals characteristically contain large amounts of cholesterol, and numerous experimental and epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a relationship between serum cholesterol levels and the incidence of atherosclerosis. Pyridoxine (vitamin Bo) has been among the several agents considered effective in inhibiting the development of atherosclerosis. Rinehart and Greenberg reported the finding of atherosclerotic lesions in pyridoxine-deficient monkeys. Witten and Holman presented evidence indicating that pyridoxine in the rat enhanced the conversion of linoleic to arachidonic acid. Their work indicated that pyridoxine and linoleic acid together were more effective in controlling the deficiency manifestations of these two substances in rats than either did separately. Kinsell et al. showed that linoleic acid, as a constituent of dietary fat, had a marked effect in lowering serum cholesterol levels. At the present time the substitution of vegetable fats high in linoleic acid content for the highly saturated animal fats o° many human diets represents the most effective if not necessarily the most practical means of lowering serum cholesterol levels. Pyridoxine has been shown necessary for the conversion of tryptophane to niacin, and nicotinic acid (although not the amide) has been