Periodontal Lesions in Hypercitricemia: Effect of Insulin and Some Aconitase-activating Substances on the Blood Citric-Acid Level and the Periodontal Tissues

¹ Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University Dental School, Chicago, Illinois

Administration of insulin, Fe⁺⁺, or cysteine into normal animals did not alter the normal level of citric acid in blood. Citric-acid content in blood was significantly increased in scorbutic animals. The scorbutic hypercitricemia was significantly restored to normal level by administration of insulin to scorbutic animals, thougn it was not restored by administration of Fe⁺⁺ or cysteine. In spite of low ascorbic acid level, the scorbutic changes in periodontal tissues were considerably corrected and alleviated by administration of insulin to scorbutic animals, whereas Fe⁺⁺ or cysteine did not show such an effect.