THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF VITAMIN-E AND SELENIUM IN TREATING HEMOLYTIC-ANEMIA OF OWL MONKEYS (AOTUS-TRIVIRGATUS)

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 30  (1) , 92-98
Abstract
The roles played by vitamin E and by Se in the anemia of owl monkeys were studied by injecting a mixture of the 2 antioxidants in 17 anemic monkeys. The result was an increase in mean Hb concentration from 8.6 .+-. 2.2 to 11.9 .+-. 2.5 g/dl; in 13 of these monkeys with typically elevated numbers of circulating nucleated erythrocytes, the mean number of such cells per 102 leukocytes declined from 50.1 .+-. 49.9 to 0.6 .+-. 1.2. Injections of vitamin E alone in 8 monkeys were less consistently effective; Se administered alone to 9 monkeys had no therapeutic effect. Neither anemic nor normal owl monkeys were deficient in serum vitamin E, plasma Se, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase or other related erythrocyte enzymes. Oral administration of vitamin E brought about no increase in serum levels of the vitamin, but hemolysis of erythrocytes in dialuric acid decreased from 18.6 .+-. 15.8% to 1.0 .+-. 0.03%. Se therapy brought about increased plasma Se in 2 of 3 experiments, but glutathione peroxidase, which is Se dependent, did not increase.