[How large is the tocopherol accumulation capacity of organs? Long term trials with various high oral alpha-tocopherol doses administered to rats and guinea pigs].

Accumulation of Tocopherol in Various Organs. 1. The influence of different doses of vitamin E on the absorption and accumulation of tocopherol in blood and various organs was studied in long time feeding experiments with male guinea pigs (Pirbright White W 58) and male Sprague Dawley rats. The experiment with guinea pigs lasted 32 weeks, that with rats 46 weeks. Three groups of 20 animals of each species were fed semisynthetic diets containing 0.003 g (Gr. I = control), 0.203 g (Gr. II) and 1.009 g (Gr. III) D, L-alpha-tocopherol acetate per 100 g diet. The ratio of tocopherol contents in the diets was 1:100:500. 2. The tocopherol excretion in the faeces increased significantly according to the vitamin E intake; the absorption rate of tocopherol behaves inversely proportional to the level of supply. 3. The tocopherol concentration in blood serum, liver, heart and adrenals of animals of the Groups II and III increased significantly in comparison with the control animals. The tocopherol accumulation in blood and the analysed organs depends on species and is organ specific: Organs of rats of the control group contain higher levels of alpha-tocopherol compared with those of the corresponding group of guinea pigs. According to the relative accumulation capacity of the organs for vitamin E (I:II:III) following sequences can be considered: Guinea pigs: adrenals and heart, liver, blood; rats: liver, heart, blood, adrenals. 4. The tocopherol accumulating organs are of limited capacity. The ratio of the tocopherol intake (1:100:500) could not be found in any of the analysed organs.