title: Plasma and tissue concentrations of beta-carotene and vitamin A in rats fed beta-carotene in various fats of plant and animal origin.
abstract: We investigated the effects of various types of dietary fat of plant and animal origin on beta-carotene absorption and tissue accumulation in rats. Rats were fed 1 mL of butter fat, lard, tallow, sunflower, arachidonic, soya, olive, or linseed oil containing 175 mg beta-carotene/mL fat by gavage, twice a week for 4 weeks. The beta-carotene and vitamin A levels in plasma and tissues were determined by rp-HPLC. The highest levels of absorbed beta-carotene were observed in the liver of animals fed olive and arachidonic oil (p < 0.001), and in the lungs of animals fed sunflower oil. Histomorphological studies showed that the observed highly variable accumulation of beta-carotene in lung tissue was most probably due to an endogenously caused lipid pneumonia. No beta-carotene was observed in blood plasma, kidney, and spleen in any group. Plasma vitamin A levels (retinol) were increased with tallow, olive, and arachidonic oil (p < 0.05). The most obvious influence was found for vitamin A in the spleen. Levels in rats fed tallow (p < 0.05), butter, or lard (p < 0.001) were higher than in controls. The lowest vitamin A levels were found in rats fed fat of plant origin. Our results suggest that the type of dietary fat can modulate the absorption of beta-carotene as well as the distribution of vitamin A in plasma and selected tissues.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Bergholz-Rehbrücke, Germany.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Schweigert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baumane
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Schoon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D010938:Plant Oils; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A