Effect of vitamin E injection on cortisol and white blood cell response to surgical stress in dairy cows.
In 20 dairy cows the effect of a single vitamin E injection on cortisol and white blood cell response to surgical stress was investigated. Abdominal surgery (omentopexy) was carried out in order to correct a left abomasal displacement. Ten hours prior to surgery 10 cows were injected intramuscularly with 10 mg DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate per kg body weight. Ten cows (controls) received an equivalent volume of injectable water. Over a 72 hour period plasma samples were collected. In 8 cows (4 cows from each group) alpha-tocopherol in liver tissue was determined. Plasma vitamin E concentrations were significantly higher in vitamin E injected cows than in controls in all of the samples after the vitamin E injections. Similarly, liver alpha-tocopherol concentrations were significantly higher in vitamin E injected cows than in controls. The surgical stress led to profoundly increased plasma cortisol levels and leucocytosis due to neutrophilia within 5 hours after the surgery. Plasma cortisol levels as well as leucocyte counts were not affected by route of vitamin E administration used.
Mudron
P
P
Clinic of Internal Medicine (Ruminants and Swine), Veterinary University, Kosice, Slovakia.
Scholz
H
H
Sallmann
H P
HP
Rehage
J
J
Kovac
G
G
Bartko
F
F
Höltershinken
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007700:Kinetics; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood*; D024505:Tocopherols; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D014810:Vitamin E; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D024505:Tocopherols; D006854:Hydrocortisone