Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Niacin (Vitamin \(\text{B}_3\)) is an essential micronutrient that can also be synthesized endogenously in the body from a specific precursor amino acid.
Nutritional deficiencies of niacin lead to pellagra, a condition historically associated with specific cereal-based diets.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate the accuracy of both statements:
Statement I: The human liver can synthesize niacin endogenously from the essential amino acid Tryptophan (not Leucine).
The conversion ratio is approximately 60 mg of dietary tryptophan to 1 mg of niacin.
Therefore, Statement I is incorrect.
Statement II: Pellagra has historically been endemic in parts of India where jowar (sorghum) is the staple food.
While jowar contains moderate levels of tryptophan, it has a high concentration of the amino acid leucine.
High dietary leucine inhibits quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (QPRT), a key rate-limiting enzyme in the pathway that converts tryptophan to niacin.
This enzymatic inhibition reduces endogenous niacin synthesis, leading to pellagra even when dietary tryptophan intake appears adequate.
Therefore, Statement II is correct.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Statement I is incorrect, but Statement II is correct.