Influence of ethoxyquin on the utilization of selenium by the chick.

Experiments showed that commonly used concentrations of dietary ethoxyquin (6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroxyquinoline) spare the selenium requirement of the vitamin E-deficient chick according to the following function: log Y = -0.0011X - 0.7741, where Y = Se requirement (ppm) and X = dietary ethoxyquin (ppm). The basis of the sparing effect appeared to be metabolic; (a) ethoxyquin was effective in alleviating exudative diathesis when fed (physiologically and chronologically) separately from selenium, and (b) ethoxyquin was effective in promoting increases in the plasma of the selenium-containing enzyme, glutathione peroxidase.