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.
Departement de Biologie et Pharmacologie, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Nantes, La Chantrerie, France.
M
M
Kammerer
L
L
Pinault
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