Short-Term Zinc Deficiency and Hemostasis in the Rat

Abstract

Immature male rats fed a soybean protein-based diet containing less than 1 ppm of zinc, showed a 50% reduction of plasma zinc within 2 days and an increased saline bleeding time within 4 days. Administration of a single dose (10 μg/kg body wt.) of zinc intragastrically restored bleeding time to normal within 4 hr and this was associated with increased plasma zinc concentration. A larger dose (100 μg/kg) also restored the bleeding time of deficient rats to normal, but increased the bleeding time of controls fed adequate zinc. This pharmacological effect in controls was largely dissipated after 8 hr but the repleted animals maintained the normal bleeding time during this period. Thus, consumption of a low-zinc diet rapidly induces a bleeding tendency which is closely related to plasma zinc concentration. It is postulated that extracellular zinc plays a significant role in hemostasis.