Abstract
Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) content in organs of female rats fed excessive iron-preparation was investigated. An enzyme-treated heme iron preparation (HIP) and ferric citrate (FC) were uses as sources of iron. Twenty-four rats, 5 weeks-old, were divied into four groups : FC-normal group, FC-overload group, HIP-normal group (3.5 mg Fe/100 g food) and HIP-overload group (350.0 mg Fe/100 g food). The rats fed the experimental diets for 15 days ad libitum. The E contents of overload groups in organ were significantly lower than the E contents of normal groups, respectively. The E contents of HIP groups were significantly low in liver, heart and lung, and tendentiously low in kidney compared with the E contents of FC groups, respectively, Excessive HIP enhanced strongly the reduction in E content of organs. The cause isn't clear, but it is considered that the difference of iron poverty in organs between HIP and FC may cause the difference of E content in organs.
