Isolation of the Antianemia Factor (Vitamin Bc) in Crystalline form from Liver

CHAPTER 1. Historical Context of Vitamin B

“…At the same time, similar observations were reported by Paul L. Day, who named the protective factor in brewer's yeast 'vitamin M', but could not continue the research owing to the restrictions that come with an assay system using monkeys. Albert Hogan developed an assay system using chickens, and with the help of a large research team, could obtain crystals of the vitamin, which was alternatively named 'vitamin B c ' (Pfiffner et al 1943).…”

The Chemistry of the Pteridines.

“…It will be sufficient to say that two well-studied dietary factors for animals, i.e., "vitamin M," without which monkeys develop a fatal blood disorder characterized by leucopenia and sometimes anemia (53), and "vitamin B,," lack of which results in poor growth and macrocytic hyperchromic anemia in chicks (28), and several growth factors for the bacteria Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus lactis R (for a complete bibliography see reference 5) variously known as "norite eluate factor," "folic acid," "L. casei factor," "SLR factor," etc., are considered to be, if not identical, very closely related, and the name "folic acid" appears now to be applied indiscriminately to various members of the group. Crystalline substances corresponding to four of the above have been isolated, i.e., vitamin B, from both liver and yeast (6,63), vitamin B, conjugate from yeast (64), and two L. casei factors, one from fermentation products and one from liver (35,90). 1, 2).…”

The Chemical Control of Cancer: PHR Review

“…The association of anemia in chicks with deficiency of dietary substances found in liver, spinach, and yeast was subsequently recognized to represent, in actuality, folic acid (pteroylglutamic acid) deficiency (20)(21)(22)(23). Granulocytopenia in rats on purified diets was found to be correctible by administering folic acid (24).…”