EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SUPPLEMENTS TO LOW PROTEIN AND POOR QUALITY PROTEIN DIETS ON PERFORMANCE AND BRAIN ENZYMES IN ALBINO RAT

Groups of albino rats were fed low and high protein diets and the former group was fed with different supplements. The supplements used were niacin, pyridoxine and glutamic acid. A low protein diet was found to decrease the activities of l‐glutamate‐NAD‐oxidoreductase and l‐glutamate‐1‐carboxy‐lyase in the cerebrum; this confirmed the results of previous work in this laboratory. Addition of glutamic acid to a low protein diet was found to reverse the effects of a low protein diet to some extent. Groups of animals were fed kodri (Paspalum scorbiculatum), a millet deficient in lysine, with or without lysine itself or foodstuffs rich in it, e.g. moth bean (Phaseolus aconitifolius Jacq.), peas (Pisum sativuni) and skim milk powder. When combined, the groups fed on the lysine or lysine‐source supplemented diets were found to perform better in a water maze on the basis of the relative ease with which they could reverse a previous learned pattern. They also had higher activities of l‐glutamate‐NAD‐oxidoreductase and l‐glutamate‐1‐carboxy‐lyase than groups with no lysine or lysine source added. There was no significant difference between the groups receiving the different lysine supplements. Copyright © 1969, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved