INFLUENCE OF A VARYING VITAMIN-B6 SUPPLY ON ACTIVITY OF SPECIFIC TRANSAMINASES IN LACTATING RATS

A total of 80 female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 212 g each were fed a semisynthetic diet containing 3 mg vitamin B-6/kg diet during a 3-we ek preperiod (daily vitamin-B-6-intake of 70 mu g). After the rats wer e covered, the rats were fed a diet containing 5 mg vitamin B-6/kg die t during the following gravidity. At 1 day post partum, the rats were distributed into 10 vitamin-B-6-treatment groups (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 36, 360 and 3 600 mg/kg diet). The feed was given ad libitum. Ar d ay 14 of lactation, the dams were decapitated. Parameters for determin ation of the vitamin-B-6-status were activity of the AST and ALT in pl asma, erythrocytes and liver. Live-weight gains, feed consumption and hematological parameters (number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin concentra tion, hematocrit and MCV) were not affected by different vitamin-B-6-s upply. The activity of the AST in plasma increased from 282 U/l (witho ut supplementation) and reached 804 U/l in the highest dose, with 3 60 0 mg vitamin B-6/kg diet. A dietary supply above 6 mg vitamin B-6/kg d iet had no influence on the AST activity in erythrocytes and liver. Th e activity of AST reached a plateau at 1988 U/l in erythrocytes and 11 6 U/g in the liver, respectively. The activity of the AST shows a more sensitive influence by alimentary application of vitamin B-6 than tha t of ALT, especially in erythrocytes. This fact was confirmed by the c omparison of two statistical models for evaluation of requirement.