Some observations on the genital function of vitamin E-deficient female non-pregnant guinea-pigs.

Abstract

Vitamin E has been considered to be specially associated with fertility since the first biological effect observed in vitamin E deficiency was sterility in rats, resulting from internal haemorrhage, with death of the fetuses, and their subsequent resorption (Evans and Burr, 1927). Further research has, however, shown that vitamin E is involved in the general metabolism. There has been much discussion about its r6le in the body. Its action seems to lie important in protein metabolism as well as in carbohydrate and lipoid metabolism as recently reviewed by Harris and hf a son (1956). In the early stages of vitamin E-deficiency endocrine disorders have ken observed in animals consisting either in a decrease of gonadotropin production or a decreased reactivity to progesterone. For details of these observations reference is made to the recent survey of Ve r z A r (1956). The following investigation has been carried out in order to study the genital function in vitamin E-deficient female guineapigs.