Possible roles of vitamin E and glutathione metabolism in bovine mastitis.

Plasma and milk levels of vitamin E were determined in mastitic and healthy cows and compared with erythrocyte GSH and GSH-peroxidase, selenium, silicon, prostaglandins and parameters commonly used for diagnosing mastitis. In mastitis both the plasma and milk levels of vitamin E were significantly lowered. In the milk vitamin E correlated negatively with electrical conductivity and PGE2. In the blood vitamin E was in a positive correlation with erythrocyte GSH. The role of lipid peroxidation in relation to the inflammatory and immunological reactions of mastitis is discussed.