Stimulation of cholesterol metabolism in pyridoxine-deficient rats.

The effect of pyridoxine deficiency on cholesterol catabolism was studied in rats. The concentrations of bile lipid components were higher in pyridoxine-deficient rats than in controls. A decreased ratio of taurine to glycine conjugates was observed in the deficient rats. No change in the neutral sterol content, but an increase in the bile acid content of the feces was observed in the deficient rats. Increased cholesterol catabolism in pyridoxine-deficient rats was also shown by the shorter half-life of the [14C] cholesterol injected into these animals.