The effects of menadione, ethyl biscoumacetate, and sodium salicylate on the metabolism of mucopolysaccharides in the aortic wall and liver of rats.

In rats with hyper- and hypovitaminosis the contents were determined of acid mucopolysaccharides (MPS) on the basis of contents of hexuronic acids; the total contents of biopolymers containing hexosamines (acid MPS, glycoproteins), on the basis of contents of hexosamines in the aortic wall and in the liver; and the activity of glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase (GPAT; EC 2.6.1.16) in the liver. Menadione-induced K hypervitaminosis was accompanied by moderate elevations of indicators of MPS metabolism. Protracted administration of ethyl biscoumacetate or sodium salicylate lowered the contents of acid MPS and of biopolymers containing hexosamines in the aortic wall and in the liver. Simultaneously, the GPAT activity in the liver markedly decreased.