Tocopherol Prophylaxis in Multiple Exposure to Hypoxia. ∗

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions

1. With reference to “A” group, all tocopherol deficient animals died during the course of the 3 decompression exposures. None of the normal diet group, and only one of the tocopherol supplemented animals died. 2. Group “B”. No deficient diet animal survived 3 consecutive decompression experiences under the conditions of this experiment while 23.9% of the normal diet group survived these 3 experiences and 35.5% of the alpha-tocopherol supplemented synthetic diet group survived. 3. It can therefore be concluded that rabbits deficient in tocopherol to a dystrophic level did not elicit as much resistance to the hypoxic factor as did those animals on the normal or tocopherol supplemented diet. Those animals on the tocopherol supplemented diet had a greater survival rate (11z.6%) than did those on the normal diet.