Effects of acute overdose of vitamin A on the hepatic content of K, Na, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn, in rats.

Interactions among vitamin A metabolism and several metals have been reported in both normal and pathological situations. In the present report we studied, in rats, the effect of daily injections of 100.00 U.I. of vitamin A during seven days on the content of K. Na, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn in the whole liver. The results were compared with the findings in pair-fed non-treated animals (Control Group). The mean +/- SEM for the concentrations of these elements in the control group were 3.433 +/- 234 (K), 649 +/- 19 (Na), 239 +/- 5 (Mg), 169 +/- 7 (Fe), 5 +/- 0.1 (Cu) and 31 +/- 2 (Zn) ug/g wet tissue, respectively. The hypervitaminosis A, confirmed by a significant increase in tissue concentration of the vitamin, altered the hepatic content of the above mentioned cations. While Na and Zn increased, the other cations decreased its concentrations in the whole liver. Possible mechanisms for these findings are discussed and it is concluded that high doses of vitamin A result in marked changes in the hepatic content of the studied metals.