title: Bioavailability of various vitamin E compounds in sheep.
abstract: Seventeen crossbred yearling wethers were randomly allotted to four dietary groups that consisted of 400 IU/day/sheep either of (1) dl-alpha-tocopherol (five sheep), (2) dl-alpha-tocopherol acetate (five sheep), (3) d-alpha-tocopherol (four sheep) or (4) d-alpha-tocopherol acetate (three sheep). Blood samples were taken at day 0 and then at frequent intervals for alpha-tocopherol determination. At the end of the 28-day experiment, animals were killed and various tissues sampled. Higher concentrations of alpha-tocopherol were observed in tissues of sheep fed d-alpha-tocopherol than the other tocopherol forms. In sheep fed d-alpha-tocopherol, the most important index of bioavailability, the area under the plasma alpha-tocopherol time curve (AUC), was larger as compared to other forms of vitamin E supplementation. Identification of alpha-tocopherol was confirmed by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry.
authors.affiliation: Animal Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hidiroglou
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pastrana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001682:Biological Availability; D008297:Male; D012756:Sheep; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D024505:Tocopherols; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D024505:Tocopherols