Vitamin E response in sheep to various modes of administration

Specific activity of various tissues was determined in sheep administered with a single dose of D-alpha-(5-Me-3H)-Tocopherol (200 mu Ci) given by one of four routes: intravenous, oral (capsules), intraruminal or intramuscular. The animals were killed at different time intervals, 96 h after intravenous and oral administration, 168 h after intraruminal administration and 216 h after intramuscular administration. Specific activity in the tissues of the intravenously dosed sheep was much higher than in the corresponding tissues of the other groups. In the intravenous group, the highest specific activity was recorded in lung and liver. In the intramuscular group liver had the highest specific activity. No difference in specific activity was recorded among the tissues of the per os groups.