710 XL VITAMINS E (TOCOPHEROLS) 



of sterility symptoms, and the rapidity with which muscular dystrophy 

 develops, are related to oxidative changes in fat accompanying the onset 

 of rancidity in the unsaturated component of lard or of cod liver oil. Only 

 fats having a considerable proportion of polyunsaturated acids and a 

 minimum quantity of «-tocopherol, which therefore readily become rancid, 

 can increase the rate of development of vitamin E-deficiency symptoms. 

 Cormier^^^ reported that the prolonged administration of fish liver oil re- 

 sulted in serious lesions in the genitalia and adrenal glands of adult rats; 

 the growth of immature animals was retarded. It is suggested that this 

 may be due to the decrease in vitamin E in the organism resulting from the 

 toxic effects of highly unsaturated fatty acids in the oil. 



Harris and Mason^- have suggested three possible ways by which such 

 highly unsaturated fats can influence the onset of deficiency symptoms: 

 (/) Autoxidation of dietary fats may inactivate, to a greater or lesser 

 extent, the tocopherols present in the food. (2) Tocopherols may be 

 destroyed by similar reactions in the gastrointestinal tract prior to the ab- 

 sorption of the tocopherols. It is suggested that this interaction is more 

 characteristic of herbivorous than of omnivorous or carnivorous animals. 

 (3) When unsaturated fats are incorporated in the storage depots as well 

 as in the cytoplasmic lipids throughout the tissues (especially in the phos- 

 pholipids), the intracellular store of tocopherols may be depleted in attempt- 

 ing to effect an adequate stabilization of the lipid. On the other hand, 

 an added stress may be placed on the cell which, without destroying the 

 tocopherol, results in abnormalities of function or structure of the cell. 



Blaxter^^^ has considered some of the above questions in studies of 

 nutritional muscular dystrophy in calves. This investigator reported that, 

 when dystrophy was invoked by feeding a diet containing the polyethenoid 

 fatty acids of cod liver oil, no significant reduction of the tocopherol con- 

 tent of the muscle cell or of the liver occurred. There was no destruction 

 of vitamin E in the diet or in the gut. Moreover, when triorthocresylphos- 

 phate was given, the absorption of tocopherol was decreased, and a con- 

 comitant reduction in serum and liver tocopherol resulted.^- However, 

 no symptoms of dystrophy were observed. It is suggested^- that some 

 reversible system involving tocopherol facilitates the dissimilation of 

 highly unsaturated acids or, on the other hand, may increase their in- 

 corporation into triglycerides. 



(a) Vitamin E Deficiencies Unrelated to Dietary Fat. Harris and 



"8 M. Cormier, Bull. soc. chim. bioL, SO, 921-940 (1948). 



"' K. L. Blaxter, Vitamin E and Muscular Degeneration in Calves. Abst. Report 

 Third Intern. Congr. on Vitamin E, Vignice, 1955, Vol. I., p. 79. 



