INTERACTION OF VITAMIN-E AND VITAMIN-K - EFFECT OF HIGH DIETARY VITAMIN-E ON PHYLLOQUINONE ACTIVITY IN CHICKS

To determine the influence of vitamin phylloquinone activity: One day- old chicks were raised on a masch diet supplemented with different amo unts of vitamin E for 31 days, In chicks fed a diet high in vitamin E (4000 mg all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg) but adequate in vitamin K (0.14 mg phylloquinone/kg) a threefold increase in prothrombin time and an increase in mortality rate (five our of twelve animals died fro m increased bleeding tendency) was observed. The inhibiting effect of high dietary vitamin E on procoagulant factors could be prevented by i ncreasing dietary phylloquinone supplementation. Weight development, a nd feed utilization were insignificantly different in chicks fed diffe rent amounts and ratios of vitamins E and K-1. Plasma and liver alpha- tocopherol levels correlated with dietary amounts of vitamin E. Increa sed phylloquinone levels in the diet did not significantly influence a lpha-tocopherol concentrations in plasma and liver but coagulopathy ca used by high vitamin E intake could be reversed.