Plasma concentrations of vitamins A and E in healthy and diabetic individuals [abstract]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is highly prevalent in Trinidad and Tobago and is associated with severe morbidity. It is possible that poor antioxidant status, such as low levels of plasma vitamin E and A, may increase the clinical complications of diabetes mellitus. The present study assessed the adequacy of antioxidant protection in Type 2 diabetics by quantitating plasma levels of vitamins A and E. Blood was taken in EDTA tubes from 11 diabetic patients and from 9 healthy individuals, who served as controls. Plasma obtained was stored in Butylated hydroxy toluene at -70§C until susequently assayed for the antioxidants vitamins A and E, using a reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromoatography. Additionally, in the diabetics HbA1c levels were measured by immunoassay, using the DCA 2000 Analyser (Bayer Corporation, USA). In the diabetics HbA1c values ranged from 4.3 percent to 11.3 percent with the mean ñ SEM being 7.79 ñ 0.81 percent. The mean ñ SEM vitamin E concentration in the diabetics was 26.32 ñ 3.14 umol/L; this was not significantly different from the controls (27.39 ñ 1.66 umol/L). Plasma vitamin A in the diabetic group (1.99 ñ 0.19 æmol/L), was significantly higher (p< 0.001) than in controls (1.14 ñ 0.12 æmol/L). The interassay coefficient of variation for the high pressure liquid chromatography method was 4.3 percent and 1.15 percent for vitamins A and E, respectively. In the diabetic group there was a good relationship between vitamin A and HbA1c (r= -o.522; p= 0.099); however, this was not significant. Similarly, the relationship between vitamin A and HbA1c (r= 0.230; n= 11) was not significant. In conclusion, it was found that glycaemic control as measured by HbA1c varied amongst diabetics. The difference in vitamin E status between diabetics and non-diabetics was not significant. However, vitamin A levels for non-diabetics were significantly lower than for diabetes. (AU)

Vitamin E, lipid fractions, and fatty acid composition of colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk: an international comparative study

Triglycerides, cholesterol, fatty acid composition, and tocopherols were determined in colustrum, transitional milk, and mature milk in St. Lucia. With progress of lactation, triglycerides and percentage medium-chain fatty acids increased whereas tocopherols, cholesterol and percentage long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased. These changes reflect augmented de novo synthesis of fatty acids (8:0, 10:0, 12:0, and 14:0) in the mammary gland and a tendency of increasing fat-globule size as milk matures. Transitional and mature milks, but particularly colustrum, contained higher concentrations of components considered to be derived from the fat-globule membrane (cholesterol, tocopherols, percentage long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) compared with those reported for Western countries. Percentage medium-chain fatty acids in mature milk was two to three times higher than in developed countries. Differences from data from studies in Western countries are discussed in relation to analytical methods and possible consequences for lipid digestion, lipid absorption, growth, and brain development.(AU)

Avian encephalomalacia in Barbados, West Indies: a description of spontaneous field cases with feed analyses

The clinical, necropsy and histopathological findings in four natural outbreaks of encephalomalcia are reported. Feed analyses implicated low levels of vitamin E as the probable cause of the condition. Treatment with vitamin E has proved to be very effective. The instability of vitamin E in animal feed ingredients during long priods of shipment to the Caribbean may be important in the pathogenesis of the disease. (AU)