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Megaloblastic anemia and the requirement for folic acid in the cebus monkey ( Cebus albifrons )
Author(s) -
Rasmussen Kathleen M.,
Hayes K. C.,
Thenen Shirley W.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
american journal of primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.988
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1098-2345
pISSN - 0275-2565
DOI - 10.1002/ajp.1350020110
Subject(s) - megaloblastic anemia , folic acid , anemia , biology , body weight , excretion , leukopenia , macrocytic anemia , physiology , medicine , endocrinology , cyanocobalamin , vitamin b12 , biochemistry , toxicity
To study the development of folic acid deficiency, nine 3‐year‐old cebus monkeys ( Cebus albifrons ) were fed purified diets containing varying amounts of added folic acid. Monkeys fed the diet without added vitamin stopped growing and then lost weight. Macrocytic anemia and leukopenia developed, and megaloblastic changes were observed in precursors of both erythrocytes and leukocytes in the bone marrow. Urinary excretion of formiminoglutamic acid was increased significantly in these animals compared with controls. Repletion of deficient animals with injections of folic acid caused a rapid weight increase and reversed the hematological and biochemical abnormalities. It was estimated that the minimal folic acid requirement for adequate growth and normal hematological parameters was between 45 and 75 μg/kg body weight/day. To allow for needs above the minimal requirement, purified diets for cebus monkeys should be formulated to provide at least 150 μg of folic acid/kg body weight/day.