This document provides information on fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, and discusses their sources, functions, and deficiency symptoms. It notes that vitamins A, D, E, K are fat soluble and essential for processes like vision, bone growth, blood clotting, and antioxidant activity. The document also mentions newly discovered vitamins Q and U and their proposed functions in blood clotting and gastrointestinal health.

1. FAT SOLUBLE
VITAMINS
Dr. T. RAMESH,
Assistant Professor of Zoology
Vivekananda College

2. Introduction
 “Something to make us sick, When we do not eat it”
 They are Organic compounds
 Plants can synthesis vitamins and animal can synthesis few
 Animals obtain vitamins from food stuffs
 Man requires 15 vitamin and lesser
 Very small quantity of vitamins is needed
 It is function like hormones
 They cannot provide any energy but it is needed for
physiological activity functioning as catalyst
 High Temperature- losing the vitamins
 Causing deficiency diseases
 Dr. Funk- Introduced the term Vitamins

3. Types of Vitamins
 There are two groups - according their
solubility
 1. Fat Soluble Vitamins- A, D, E & K
 2. Water Soluble Vitamins- B & C

4. VITAMIN – A (Retinol or Antixerophthalmic
Vitamin)
 It was discovered by Mc Collum in 1913
 Fat Soluble
 It is exists two forms- A1 (Retinol 1) and A2
(Retinol 2)
 A1- C20 H23 OH and A2- C20 H27 OH
 Animal synthesis vitamin A from Carotene-
Provitamin
 Carotene splits two molecules of Vitamin A
Sources: Leafy vegetables like amaranth, spinach, coriander,
drumstick leaves, carrots, yellow pumpkins, mangoes, papayas,
tomatoes, fish liver oil, halibut liver oil, milk, butter, ghee, egg, fish
etc.,

5. Functions of Vitamin A
 Vitamin A is an important component of
Rhodopsin of retina.
 It promotes growth
 Protein synthesis
 Normal growth and shape of Bones
 Essential for the synthesis of
mucoploysaccharides
 Promotes fertility
 Essential function-Carbohydrate & DNA
metabolism- Normal structure and function of
epithelial tissues

6. Deficiency symptoms of Vitamin A
 In children- Retards growth-leads loss of weight
 Vision in dim light- rhodopsin pigment in retina of
eye- Night Blindness or Nyctalopia
 Xerophthalmia- reddening, dryness, lusterless
conditions of the eye.
 Keratomalacia- Cornea becomes soft and
disorganised
 Degenerate- Lacrymal gland, Sweat and Sebaceous
glands of Skin
 Over dose of Vitamin A- Hypervitaminosis –
Drowsiness, sluggishness, severe headache,
vomitting and peeling of the skin

7. Xerophthalmia

8. Vitamin D (Calciferol or Antirachitic
Vitamin)
 Mc Collum in 1922
 It is a steroid compounds
 It is formed irradiation of sterols
 In skin the large amount of Cholesterol converted
into Vitamin D- Exposure of the skin to sunlight
 It exists in five known forms- D1, D2, D3, D4 & D5
 Vitamin D2 is of common- Ergocalciferol- C28 H43
OH
 D3- Cholecalciferol, D5- Ergosterol

9. Sources of Vitamin D
 Fish liver oil
 Butter
 Milk
 Egg
Functions:
It helps calcium absorption in the intestine
It improves absorption of phosphate
It Helps deposition of Calcium and Phosphates in the
bones
Essential- Calcium metabolism, normal development
of bone & teeth

10. Deficiency of Vitamin D
 It causes Rickets in child
 It causes Osteomalacia in adults
 Rickets
 It caused by deficiency of Vitamin D for Children
 It is characteristic- Soft and Weak bone- Leg bones are
curved and “Bow Shaped” and ribs appearance-
“Pigeon breast”
 Antirachiitic vitamin- Vitamin D against rickets
 Osteomalacia
 Adult ricket, lack of Calcium salts in diet, during
pregnancy and lactation

11. Rickets

12. Vitamin E (Tocopherol or
Antisterility)
 Matill and Conclin 1920
 Fat Soluble
 It exists three forms Alpha, Beta and Gamma
 Sources: Rich in Wheat, germ oil, cotton seed
oils, liver of hourse and cattle, muscles of heart,
kidney milk, egg-yolk
 Man requires 15 to 20 mg/day
 Function: it is a antioxidant
 Normal reproduction rate and functioning of
muscles

13. Deficiency and symptoms
 In man it not known exactly. It may causes
peripheral vascular disorder
 Heart disorder
 menopause
 In female rat the foetus dies sometime
 In chick it leads to embryonic moetality

14. Vitamin K (Antihaemorrhagic
vitamin)
 Dam 1935
 It is essential for coagulation or blood clotting
 Sources: Green plants, microbs, Cabbage,
spinach, tomato, soyabean. Also Liver, fish,
milk etc
 Functions: Essential for synthesis of
prothrombin in liver- Prothrombin is essential
for blood clotting
 Hence it is called Antihaemorrhagic vitamin

15. Deficiency of vitamin K
 Blood clotting
 Bleeds are stopped within 5-8 min
 Loss of cont. Bleeding- victim is dies

16. Vitamin Q
 DR. A.J. Quick 1972
 Found in Phopholipid extracted from
soyabeans
 Essential for blood clot

17. Vitamin U
 It isolated from curd
 It is essential for people suffers gastritis,
duodenal ulcers
 Doubles % of recoveries from gastro intestinal
diseases.