Ovarian and uterine lipids of rats administered excess vitamin A

The effect of administering 33 mg retinol either alone or with 10 mg ascorbic acid for two days on neutral lipids and phospholipids of ovary and uterus and on the incorporation of acetate-1-14C and NaH232PO4 into the lipids has been studied. Vitamin A reduced ovary and uterus weight. Ascorbic acid prevented the weight decrease only in ovary. Vitamin A increased total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, triglycerides, phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine in ovary but in uterus all the neutral lipids were increased and phospholipids decreased. Vitamin C administration did not affect vitamin A induced changes in phospholipids. Both the cholesterogenesis and lipogenesis from acetate-1-14C was increased in ovary and uterus of rats given vitamin A. Incorporation of NaH232PO4 was increased in phosphatidyl choline of ovary and uterus of rats given vitamin A.