Orotic Acid as a Survival Factor in Rats Deficient in the Animal Protein Factors of Casein

Abstract

VIVIANI et al. ¹ have recently shown that orotic acid may be one of the growth factors for rats deficient in the animal protein factors of casein, but not for normal rats. These and previous^2,3 observations suggest a possible relationship between orotic acid and animal protein factors of casein. Therefore, in the present work, our investigations have been extended to the significance of prophylactic feeding of orotic acid upon the most dramatic aspect of the deficiency of animal protein factors of casein, namely, the high mortality of the newly born of the first generation and the total mortality of the second generation.