[Aspects of the biological activity of thiochrome]

The influence of thiochrome on the lipids metabolism in animals fed on a usual vivarium ration or synthetic thiamine-free diet carrying as a fat component 18 per cent of oleic acid was investigated. Under conditions of an ordinary vivarium ration thiochrome acted as a weak antivitamin and changed the lipids metabolism rates, like this is done by oxythiamine. When superimposed on an oleate-containing, thiochrome displayed a slightly pronounced vitaminic properties, while its influence on the individual study lipids metabolism rates was somewhat similar to that exerted by thiamine. It is suggested that the effect of thiochrome on the lipids metabolism is not related to the coenzymatic function of thiamine.