712 XI. VITAMINS E (tocopherols) 



been recorded ])y Maske and eo-workers^^^ that the elevated level of zinc in 

 the serum of dogs which occurs during alloxan diabetes is restored to normal 

 by the administration of vitamin E. Lee and associates^^^ have described 

 reproductive failure in mice induced by feeding a diet containing a com- 

 bination of cobalt, copper, manganese, and zinc. This failure in reproduc- 

 tion was counteracted by the administration of vitamin E. The reason 

 for the reversal of the symptoms by vitamin E is not entirely clear. It is 

 probably similar to the muscle paralysis induced in mice when a similar 

 salt mixture was employed in the diet.^^^ On the other hand, Berzins'**^ 

 reported a reverse effect. Thus, when cobalt salts were administered to 

 pigs, the deposition of tocopherol in the tissues was increased. 



There are likewise a number of reports in the literature which tend to 

 show that vitamin E is related to the metabolism of calcium, sodium, 

 potassium, and phosphate. Thus, in studies on muscle dystrophy in 

 cattle, Blaxter and Wood^^^ noted that the ash content of the muscle in the 

 abnormal animals was greatly increased; calcium, sodium, and phosphate 

 concentrations were increased, while that of potassium was reduced. 

 Highman and Daft^^^ observed a widespread calcification in arteries of the 

 heart, kidneys, skeletal muscle, and lungs of mice fed diets deficient in 

 vitamin E and protein. A decrease in the incidence of the muscle lesions 

 occurred when cod hver oil was omitted from the diet, and an increased 

 amount of tocopherol was administered simultaneously. Elevated calcium 

 levels in the skeletal muscle, and increased calcium and phosphorus con- 

 centrations in the heart muscle have been noted in vitamin E-deficient 

 lambs. ^^^ However, Cohen et al}^^ were unable to detect any influence of 

 administered tocopherol on the rate of disappearance of radioactive sodium 

 or phosphorus from the blood stream. Casuccio^^^ noted that bone frac- 

 tures in young, \dtamin E-deficient rats exhibited a delayed callus forma- 

 tion, which did not occur in rats receiving adequate doses of vitamin E. 

 Finally, there are two clinical reports which indicate that a-tocopherol 



^" H. Maske, H. Wolff, B. Stampfl, and F. Baumgarten, Naunyn-Schmiedeberg' s Arch, 

 exptl. Pathol. Pharmakol, 216, 457-472 (1952). 



182 Y. C. P. Lee, J. T. King, and M. B. Visscher, Am. J. Physiol, 173, 456-458 (1953). 



183 J. T. King, Y. C. P. Lee, and M. B. Visscher, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med., 88. 406- 

 409 (1955). 



'8^ J. Berzins, Latvijas P S R Zinatnu Akad. Vestis, 1951, 415-420; Chem. AhsL, 47, 

 12550 (1953). 



18S K. L. Blaxter and W. A. Wood, Brit. J. Nutrition, 6, 144-163 (1952). 

 18" B. Highman and F. S. Daft, Am. J. Pathol, 29, 582 (1953). 



187 F. A. Bacigalupo and R. W. Luecke, J. Animal Sci., IS, 245-248 (1954). 



188 J. A. Cohen, C. van der Meer, and M. G. P. J. Warringa, Acta Physiol, et Pharmacol 

 Neerl.,2, 270-275(1951). 



189 C. Casuccio, J. Bone and Joint Surg., 33 A, 1035 (1951). 



