CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF ANTLERS FROM WAPITI (CERVUS-ELAPHUS)

Antlers, the fast growing structures of cervids, are fascinating tissu es that are useful as a model for the study of bone growth and metabol ism. They are also used for oriental medicine and tonics. However, lit tle is known about their chemical composition. Four sets of fresh velv et antlers were obtained at 65 days after button casting from four 4-y ear-old wapiti, and the chemical composition of each antler was determ ined in four sections (tip, upper, middle, and base). The contents of dry matter, collagen, ash, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium increase d(p < 0.05), and those of protein and lipid decreased (p < 0.05) downw ard from the tip to the base. The concentrations of uronic acid, sulfa ted glycosaminoglycan, and sialic acid decreased (p < 0 05) downward. Amino acid and fatty acid contents, expressed as percentage of total p rotein and lipid, respectively, also varied (p < 0.05) among sections. The tip section, which is the growth center of the antler, had highes t proportions of tyrosine and isoleucine and lowest proportions of gly cine and alanine. The C18:3 omega 6 fatty acid was found in the tip se ction only.