EFFECT OF HYPERVITAMINOSIS-A ON INTESTINAL DIGESTIVE AND ABSORPTIVE FUNCTIONS IN RAT

Oral administration of large doses of retinol to young rats significantly accelerated glucose and galactose uptake in small intestinal segments. It also augmented both total and specific activities of brush border membrane associated disaccharidases and blood glucose level. For this investigation the intestine was examined in three segments viz., proximal, mid and distal portion and also as a whole. In comparison with matched controls, total enzymic activities in with hypervitaminosis A animals were nearly double for lactase, sucrase and maltase in all segments. With specific enzymic activities, the change in enzymic activities were greater for lactase and maltase, but less for sucrase.