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The Metabolism of Ascorbic Acid in the Horse¹

Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas²

Abstract

Studies were made on the ascorbic acid values of equine plasma, the amount excreted daily in the urine, and the effect of the ingestion of large amounts of the synthetic vitamin. The ascorbic acid content of the plasma of Shetland ponies on a controlled diet was 0.32, mg. per cent and the daily urinary excretion was 0.37 mg. per kg. of body weight. Following the ingestion of six grams of ascorbic acid there was a significant increase in the amount excreted in the urine during the next 24 hours. At the end of this period the ascorbic acid level of the plasma was significantly higher than the original value. While only a small percentage of ingested ascorbic acid is excreted in the urine, there is evidence that the synthetic vitamin given per os is assimilated to a limited extent by the horse.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station as technical contribution N. 753. The authors are greatly indebted to Merck & Co. for a generous supply of ascorbic acid used in these experiments.

² Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Animal Husbandry, and the Division of Veterinary Science, College Station, Texas.