The absorption and distribution of the naturally occurring tocochromanols in the rat

Groups of female albino rats were given 12–20 mg of one of the eight known toco-chromanols in 0.2 ml arachis oil by stomach tube, and were killed 2, 4, 8, 16 or 24 h afterwards. The liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, brain, small intestine and a portion of striated muscle were removed from each rat and analysed for the tocochromanol given. 3. Maximum levels of the tocochromanols occurred in most tissues 4–8 h after dosing. In the liver the tocopherols were more efficiently absorbed than were the corresponding toco-trienols. In kidney, heart and muscle the percentage uptake of the tocotrienols was often greater than that of the corresponding tocopherols.