TISSUE VITAMIN-E CONCENTRATIONS AFTER SINGLE INJECTION OF ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL IN PIGS

Forty pigs were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment groups: control, 500 IU, 1500 IU, and 2500 IU of vitamin E given as a single intramuscular injection. Out of 40 pigs, 20 were slaughtered at day 3 and the remaining 20 at day 7 after injection. Effect of treatment was significant (P < 0.05) for vitamin E concentrations in all tissues. T he effect of time of slaughter after the injection was significant (P < 0.05) for spleen, liver, kidney, lung, hip muscle and adrenal, while the interaction of treatment with time was significant (P < 0.05) for most of the tissues except adipose tissue and neck muscle. Concentrat ion of alpha-tocopherol in all tissues increased with increased dose o f injection. In most tissues, alpha-tocopherol was higher at 3 d than at 7 d after injection. By 7 d, levels had dropped significantly but w ere still much higher than control levels. Intramuscular injection of vitamin E in pigs resulted in significant differences in tissue is-pro portional-to tocopherol concentrations.