The antivitamin D factor in roughages.

Authors

  • J. Weits

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18174/njas.v2i1.17855

Abstract

Vitamin D was separated from the rachitogenic substance in dry grass and hay by chromatography [no details]. Fractions of the unsaponifiable residue of the grass fat, with addition of fixed amounts of vitamin D, were tested on rachitic rats, with radiography of the bones as criterion, to ascertain the content of rachitogenic substance. A fraction was obtained which contained all the vitamin D but not the rachitogenic substance. The last was present chiefly in the carotene fraction; the fraction containing xanthophylls was inactive.

The method was applied to routine estimation of roughages. In hay dried in windrows or cocks or on tripods the vitamin D content ranged from 1005 to 1375 I.U. per kg., and there was little increase after chromatography, showing the absence of rachitogenic substance. In artificially dried grass the values ranged from 270 to 1150 before chromatography, and from 595 to 1790 after it; the amount of rachitogenic substance was, therefore, considerable. The results were in accordance with the finding of Grant (Abst. 1730, Vol. 24), that carotene is the rachitogenic substance. The rachitogenic substance was not a phytosterol precipitable with digitonin.-E. M. Hume. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

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Published

1954-02-01

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Section

Papers