USE OF A CHEMICAL COMPOUND

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00184420
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 21, 2025
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: January 15, 1952

15 January 1952
�
�
/7 MEDDRAUDUM FOR: '
) TO
SUBJECT : Use of a Chemical Compound
1. About a month ago, asked me if we could give him
apy information on nicotinic acid: We have made a number of discreet
inquiries and have turned up information as noted herein. This in-
formation comes from one of the most prominent pharmacologists in the
United States. We are making further inquiries of sources recomrended
14y the individual who provided this information. One source in par-
ticlilar is reported to be doing research in nicotinic acid and we may
obtain even more useful information.
Os I!
2. The information provided is as follows:
The common use of nicotinic acid is as a vitamin; it is
used principally as a preventrtive for pellagra (a skin
affection with severe constitutional and nervous symptons)
in the southern part of the.US. Its therapeutic action
in these cases is in developing a psychosis and dilating
the blood vessels.
Since nicotinic acid is a peripheral dilator of blood
vessels, it might also to used in the treatment of frost
bite but there is no published indication that this type
of therapy has ever been developed anywhere.
His staff has done much work on using a combination of
nicotinomid with privino for the treatment of schizophrenic
patients. Privine is a nicotinic acid inhibitor (B 45) ands
although very lethal in animals, is not poisonous for
human-beings. The nicotinomidiorivino combination produces
a shock reaction uhich does not involve convulsions. Ex-
periments in this have been made on patients at a State
Hospital nearby but are no longer being 'carried an because
of the lack of funds and the difficulty in travel between
the medical college laboratories rnd'the hospital.
The source did not know of other doctors or laboratories
in the US or abroad who were working with this nicotinomid-
privine combination or other nicotinic acid compounds. He
could not recall having seen any publications on this subject.
,