Change In Serum Vitamin Research Articles

Effects of ethanol and carbon tetrachloride upon vitamin A status of rats.

The effects of ethanol and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) upon tissue vitamin A, liver lipids, liver cytochrome P450 and hepatic morphology were investigated. It was anticipated that CCl4 treatment would have more severe effects upon vitamin A status because CCl4 provides greater hepatic injury than does ethanol. After a 2-week standardization feeding period, young male rats were divided into four groups. For 5 weeks one group of rats (n = 17) received ethanol in liquid diets (30% of calories) while another (n = 8) was exposed to CCl4 inhalation twice a week along with phenobarbital in the diet. All groups received the National Regulatory Commission recommended level for vitamin A. Comparison of ethanol and its pair-fed control group (n = 17) revealed: decreased hepatic vitamin A, no change in serum vitamin A, increased percentage of liver lipid, and cytochrome P450 with moderate fat accumulation in hepatocytes. Comparison of the CCl4-phenobarbital group with pair-fed controls (n = 8) showed: increased serum vitamin A, decreased hepatic vitamin A, increased cytochrome P450, marked hepatic fat accumulation, hepatic cell necrosis, and early cirrhosis. Thus, CCl4 (with phenobarbitol), which is a more potent hepatotoxin as evidenced by a more elevated cytochrome P450 and distorted liver morphology, not only reduced liver vitamin A, but also increased serum vitamin A. The extent of substrate and/or organ specificity remains to be elucidated.

Change in serum vitamin A concentration after an oral dose in children with acute diarrhea

Les taux seriques de vitamine A, de proteine de liaison du retinol et de prealbumine ont ete doses chez 13 enfants de 3 a 9 ans, 4 heures apres une dose orale de vitamine A hydrosoluble au cours d'une diarrhee aigue et 2 semaines apres la guerison. Les resultats confirment que l'administration rapide de vitamine A est hautement souhaitable et efficace pour la prevention de la cecite dans les regions en voie de developpement ou diarrhees et malnutrition sont predominants