Abstract
In order to investigate the effect of dietary zinc and phytic acid levels on protein metabolism in rats, male rats of Sprague-Dawley strains weighing approximately $60\~74g$ were fed different diets which contained 0, 0.35 and $1.05\%$ phytic acid each at 3 levels of zinc(0, 30 and 1,500 ppm zinc) for 28 days. Result obtained in this experiment are summarized as follows; 1. Body weight gait food consumption food efficiency ratio and protein efficiency ratio were lower in the rats fed zinc deficient diet(0 ppm zinc) than in those consuming 30 or 1,500 ppm dietary zinc, and the additional effect of phytic acid were not observed in all of then 2. Liver weight was lower in the rats fed 30 ppm zinc diet than in those fed 0 or 1,500 ppm-zinc diet but kidney and spleen weights were lower in the rats fed zinc deficient diet than in those fed 30 or 1,500 ppm-zinc diet Among organs measured only the liver appeared to be influenced by dietary phytic acid: the more the dietary phytic acid, the more the weight of liver, 3. Fecal nitrogen was decreased in the rats fed zinc deficient diet compared with those fed 30 or 1,500 ppm dietary zinc. Urinary nitrogen was increased in the rats fed $1.05\%$ dietary phytic acid compared with those fed 0.35 or $0\%$ dietary phytic acid Nitrogen retention of rat was influenced by neither dietary zinc nor phytic acid. 4. Urea nitrogen was decreased with increasing dietary zinc levels, and creatinine and uric acid levels were increased with increasing dietary zinc concentration or with additional quantity of phytic acid. Uric acid appeared to be influenced by zinc x phytic acid interaction; especially, the presence of phytic acid in the 30 ppm-zinc diet had significant effect on uric acid content. 5. Hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit ratio were higher in the rats fed 30 ppm dietary zinc than in those fed 0 or 1,500 ppm-zinc diet Serum zinc concentration was increased with increasing dietary zinc levels. The content of total protein albumin and BUN and the ratio of albumin to globulin in serum, and protein content in liver were influenced by neither dietary zinc nor phytic acid.