Experimental Production of Pyridoxine Deficiency Anemia in Rats

Rats fed a diet deficient in pyridoxine all exhibited a severe microcytic hypochromic anemia after 40 to 50 weeks. This anemia responded promptly to pyridoxine administration. The myeloid:erythroid ratio in the bone marrow of the severely anemic rats was definitely increased, suggestive of hypoplasia of the erythroid series, after prolonged deprivation of pyridoxine. The ratio was markedly decreased shortly after the inception of pyridoxine treatment, indicating active erythropoiesis induced by therapy; the ratio subsequently returned toward normal when hemoglobin level improved. There was no evidence of accumulation of iron in the bone marrow. The serum iron level increased only slightly, to high-normal values in the anemic rats, but fell to low-normal level after the administration of pyridoxine.