Blood, 1946, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 185-188.
© 1946 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
ANTI-ANEMIC PROPERTIES OF THYMINE
TOM D. SPIES M.D.1,
WALTER B. FROMMEYER JR. M.D.1,
CARL F. VILTER M.D.1, and
ANN ENGLISH B.S.1
1 University of Cincinnati Studies in Nutrition at the Hillman Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama.
From the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Three patients with Addisonian pernicious anemia were selected, hospitalized
and given a diet devoid of meat and meat products. After baseline hematological
studies were made and checked repeatedly, daily large doses of thymine were
given orally.
The clinical and hematological improvement in these three patients was in
every way similar to that which follows the administration of folic acid to patients with pernicious anemia in relapse. The exact mode of action of thymine is
obscure, but it is possible that folic acid may act as an enzyme or co-enzyme in the
synthesis of thymine or a thymine-like compound. Such synthesis may take place
in the gastro-intestinal tract. The present findings indicate that thymine has anti-anemic properties and a profound effect on the general metabolism of patients
with Addisonian pernicious anemia in relapse.
