Role of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Vitamin E Deficiency

Role of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Vitamin E Deficiency A. Enceph. lomalacia and Exudative Di.athesis in Chicks 

In 11)31, Pappenheimer and Goettsch published the first description of a newly discovered disease, which was called nutritional encephaloTnalaeia. Although the diet recommended by Pappenheimer and Goettsch for producing encephalomalacia in chicks contained some 20% lard and about 2 % cod liver oil, it was sometime later that the role of the dietary fats was evaluated. The composition of this diet is shown in Table I. 

When synthetic di-a-tocopherol became available, it was readily demonstrated that vitamin E prevents enccphalomalacia (Dam et al., 1938 Pappenheimer et al., 1939). 

While these studies were in progress, exudative diathesis, another disease in chicks, was described, and shown to be a consequence of vitamin E deficiency (Dam and Glavind, 1939a, b). 

Apparently damage of the capillaries in the affected areas is the primary cause of the exudation. If the development of exudate was merely a consequence of lowered colloid osmotic pressure in the plasma, the exudate fluid would be much lower in protein content. In encephalomalacia the albumin globulin ratio of the plasma remains normal after the onset of the disease. 

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