Effects of vitamin A deficiency and its supplementation on tibial growth in rats / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effects of vitamin A deficiency(VAD)and its supplementation on the skeletal growth in rats.Methods Eighteen female Wistar rats were randomly divided into VAD(Vit A 400 IU/kg diet,n=3),supplement(n=9)and control groups(normal diet Vit A 6 500 IU/kg,n=6).The supplement groups were randomly divided into 3 sub-groups,and their diet was changed to Vit A 6 500 IU/kg diet from 14 d after pregnancy,0 d and 4 weeks after birth respectively until they were 7 weeks age old.When they were 0 day,4 and 7 weeks old,their body weight,the length of the tibia,serum Vit A level were measured,and the histology of growth plate was also observed.Results At every measuring times,the serum Vit A level was significantly lower,and the tibial length was shorter in VAD group than in the control(P