Thiamin status of laboratory rabbits

Measurements of blood thiamin concentration, erythrocyte transketolase (TK) activity, and stomach and cecal thiamin concentration were made in 10 normal New Zealand white rabbits consuming a commercial pelleted rabbit diet. The concentration of the vitamin was somewhat higher in stomach content (57.2 +/- 11.8 m mug/g) than in cecal content (38.5 +/- 14.9 mmug/g). Erythrocyte TK activity was well within the range reported as normal in other mammalian species (TPP effect=2.6% for hexose and 0.5% for pentose).