Effect of added drinking water nitrate on the vitamin A status of rabbits.
In animals, chronic exposure to nitrates has been shown to affect vitamin A nutrition, and researchers have explored this effect with conflicting results. To study this relationship, 24 female rabbits were given 8, 250 or 500 mg nitrate/L drinking water for 22 w, and their second litters were given the same dose for 5 w from 18 to 53 d of age. Liver samples were analyzed for retinol and retinyl palmitate. There was no effect of the nitrate on total liver vitamin A stores, but the balance between esterified and nonesterified forms of retinol was altered in pregnant females and their weaned young.
Kammerer
M
M
Departement de Biologie et Pharmacologie, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Nantes, La Chantrerie, France.
Pinault
L
L
D000818:Animals; D004224:Diterpenes; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014881:Water Supply
D004224:Diterpenes; D009566:Nitrates; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate; C031618:sodium nitrate