title: [Study on the adequate dosage of vitamin A in the prevention and treatment of postburn visceral injury].
abstract: In this study, we observed the influence of various doses of vitamin A on the serum and liver vitamin A levels and the effect of prevention and treatment on the injured thymus, spleen, liver and mucosa of the small intestine after 20% BSA III degree burn in the rat. The results showed that not only the serum and liver vitamin A contents were lower in the rats (burned group I) receiving vitamin A 6 micrograms/100 gb. w./d. as compared to the uninjured control, but also the thymus was significantly atrophic, especially with decrease of T-cell. The spleen was swollen, and the corpuscles and karyokinesis of the cell decreased. The nucleoli margination and double-nucleus in hepatocytes were also decreased significantly. The small intestine villi were atrophic and the mucosa became thinner. In the postburn rats receiving vitamin A 25 micrograms/100 gb. w./d. (burned group II), the above-mentioned changes were not different as compared with the uninjured controls. In those receiving vitamin A 50 or 100 micrograms/100 gb. w./d. (burned group II and IV), the effect of prevention and treatment of postburn lesions was not superior to those of group II. So it can be seen that the adequate dosage of supplementation of vitamin A in the postburn rats was about 25 micrograms/100 gb. w./d., i.e. 4 times the normal requirement of the rat.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A