The determination of vitamin A in animal tissues and its presence in the liver of the vitamin A-deficient rat

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Abstract
A comparative study of 4 methods for determining vitamin A was made, with normal rat liver and kidney as test tissues. It was shown that substantial losses of vitamin A occur when such tissues are digested or saponified with alkali in the absence of an antioxidant. These losses can be avoided if the tissue is first extracted with acetone and the extract then saponified for a short time in the presence of pyrogallol. With this method of purification and subsequent paper chromatography of the extracts, it was found that the livers of rats showing early clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency still contain some vitamin A. The amounts present are likely to be destroyed if total digestion or saponification of the tissue is used as a method of analysis.