[Relation between ascorbic acid metabolism and the body' supply of vitamin K].

Experiments on rats were made to study the content of ascorbic (AA), Dehydroascorbic (DAA) and diketogulonic (DKGA) acids in the blood serum, daily urine, liver, adrenal, kidney, spleen and lung tissues under varying body supply with vitamin K. The rats with vitamin K deficiency manifested the decreased content of AA, DAA and the elevated content of DKGA in the blood serum, daily urine and test tissues. The percentage of AA absorption by blood proteins was found to be increased upon vitamin K deficiency in the body. The changes in AA metabolism correlated with the reduced capillary resistance. Administration of AA to rats with vitamin K deficiency led to an increase in the content of AA, DAA and to a lowering of DKGA in the blood serum and tissues promoting the normalization of capillary resistance. The data obtained attest to the dependence of AA metabolism on the body supply with vitamin K, pointing to the necessity of exercising the control over AA metabolism in different forms of vitamin K deficiency.