Abstract
In order to study the function of the liver for β-carotene, administered, the following experiments were made. Various amounts of aqueous emulsion of β-carotene were injected into the femoral vein of a healthy dog, and the determination of serum carotene, vitamin A alcohol and its ester contents of arterial and hepatic venous blood was done before injection and 5,30,60 and 120 minutes after. A considerable amount of β-carotene administered intravenously was taken up in the liver. A part of β-carotene taken up in the liver was chiefly converted to vitamin A ester and a much smaller amount of vitamin A alcohol was also detected. The formed vitamin A ester was transferred into blood. Serum carotene and vitamin A contents of children with hepatic disorders were determined. The results showed that conversion of carotene to vitamin A was inhibited in some cases as a result of hepatic disorders.
