Abstract
The effects of vitamin E deficiency, produced by linseed oil on degenerative changes of the kidney and testes in rats was investigated along with other deficient signs.
NaCl fortification under vitamin E deficiency was also studied to find whether NaCl could promote renal damage or not.
Young rats were subjected to three diets, a basal ration deficient in vitamin E (B. R.), B. R. +50mg dl-α tocopherol per week, BR. +2.5% NaCl for 10 weeks.
All animals exhibited renal abnormality, and the deficient animals were more severely affected. No abnormality could be observed in the testes. Vitamin E deficient signs such as organ enlargement, sharp renal autolysis, elevated erythrocyte hemolysis and creatinurea were observed with a high water intake and other side-effects of linseed oil. There was the tendency of a sharp decrease in lecithin and sphingomyelin with an increase in cephalin in kidney phospholipids, and an increase in the testes sphingomyelin fraction.
NaCl fortification, unexpectedly, gave somewhat satisfactory results in initial growth, hemolysis, creatinurea and water intake. However, renal lesions were more markable than the other groups. The renal phospholipid pattern except cephalin which further increased was closer to the control animals but the lecithin content was still low.
Vitamin E, under this condition, partially protected against linseed oil toxicity.
Vitamin E deficiency appears to cause a decrease in tissue lecithin thus leading to degenerative changes.
