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pellagra

pellagra , deficiency disease due to a lack of niacin (nicotinic acid), one of the components of the B complex vitamins in the diet. Niacin is plentiful in yeast, organ meats, peanuts, and wheat germ. The disease manifests itself in lesions of the skin and mucous membrane, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, neurological derangement, and mental confusion. It is most common in areas where the diet consists mainly of corn, which, unlike other grains, lacks niacin as well as the amino acid tryptophan, which the body uses to synthesize the vitamin. Treatment includes large doses of niacin and the institution of a proper diet to prevent recurrences.

Bibliography: See D. A. Roe, A Plague of Corn: A Social History of Pellagra (1973).

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pellagra

A Dictionary of Biology | 2004 | Â© A Dictionary of Biology 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

pellagra A disease resulting from a deficiency of nicotinic acid, which is characterized by dermatitis and mental disorder.

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pellagra

A Dictionary of Nursing | 2008 | Â© A Dictionary of Nursing 2008, originally published by Oxford University Press 2008. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

pellagra (pil-ag-ră) n. a nutritional disease due to a deficiency of nicotinic acid (a B vitamin). It is common in maize-eating communities. The symptoms of pellagra are scaly dermatitis on exposed surfaces, diarrhoea, and depression.

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	Pellagra may be a rare secondary complication of anorexia nervosa: a systematic review of the literature. (Pellagra/Anorexia Nervosa). Magazine article from: Alternative Medicine Review; 5/1/2003
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	Niacinamide. (Monograph). Magazine article from: Alternative Medicine Review; 12/1/2002

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