Effects of ascorbic acid deficiency on methyl mercury dicyandiamide toxicosis in guinea pigs.

Methylmercury dicyandiamide (MMD) when given intraperitoneally at a dosage of 4 mg/kg of body weight at weekly intervals for 3 weeks resulted in death of guinea pigs fed an ascorbic acid deficient diet. Controls fed an ascorbic acid deficient diet survived during this period as did guinea pigs given MMD and fed an ascorbic acid adequate diet. In a second experiment, guinea pigs fed an ascorbic acid deficient diet containing 22 ppm of MMD died within 26 days and had severe hemorrhagic and ulcerative gastroenteritis and coagulative necrosis of the liver. Ascorbic acid deficient controls died at 34 days. The MMD-containing ascorbic acid adequate diet killed guinea pigs in 150 days. Guinea pigs fed an ascorbic acid deficient diet with 44 ppm of MMD died within 20 days with acute neurologic signs. Pathologic changes were mostly in the gray matter. Guinea pigs fed MMD and a diet with adequate ascorbic acid survived for 38 days whereas the ascorbic acid deficient controls survived for 47 days. Results indicate that ascorbic acid deficiency can be a factor in the location and severity of clinical signs and lesions of MMD.