Steinberg D, Avigan J, Mize C E, Baxter J H, Cammermeyer J, Fales H M, Highet P F
J Lipid Res. 1966 Sep;7(5):684-91.
Feeding of phytol in large doses (2-5% by weight in the diet) led to accumulation of phytanic acid in the mouse, rat, rabbit, and chinchilla, the degree of accumulation depending upon the level of dietary intake. The relative concentration of phytanic acid, expressed as a percentage of the total fatty acids, was as high as 20-60% in liver and 30-40% in serum. Phytenic acid, which may be an intermediate in the conversion of phytol to phytanic acid, also accumulated. When phytol was withdrawn from the diet, tissue and serum concentrations of phytanic acid fell rapidly, which indicates the ability of the normal animal to metabolize phytanic acid readily. At high dosages in the diet, phytol inhibited growth and caused death within 1-4 weeks. In the mouse, dietary phytanic acid and dietary phytol fed in equivalent amounts were of comparable toxicity. Accumulation of tissue phytanic acid occurred more rapidly when phytanic acid was fed than when phytol was fed in equal amounts. In none of the animals fed either phytol or phytanic acid were there any signs of neurological defects. Histologic examination of rats fed phytol showed some fat accumulation, glycogen depletion, and karyokinesis in the liver. There were no pathologic changes in the retina or in the peripheral and central nervous system such as those described in Refsum's disease.
大剂量（占饮食重量的2 - 5%）喂食植醇会导致小鼠、大鼠、兔子和毛丝鼠体内植烷酸积累，积累程度取决于饮食摄入量。以总脂肪酸的百分比表示，植烷酸在肝脏中的相对浓度高达20 - 60%，在血清中为30 - 40%。植烯酸作为植醇转化为植烷酸的中间产物也会积累。当从饮食中去除植醇时，植烷酸的组织和血清浓度迅速下降，这表明正常动物能够轻易代谢植烷酸。在饮食中高剂量时，植醇会抑制生长并在1 - 4周内导致死亡。在小鼠中，等量喂食的饮食植烷酸和饮食植醇具有相当的毒性。当喂食植烷酸时，组织植烷酸的积累比等量喂食植醇时更快。在喂食植醇或植烷酸的动物中，均未出现任何神经缺陷迹象。对喂食植醇的大鼠进行组织学检查发现，肝脏有一些脂肪积累、糖原消耗和核分裂。视网膜以及外周和中枢神经系统未出现诸如雷夫叙姆病中所描述的病理变化。
