2004 AIPMT BiomoleculesVitamins and Deficiency Diseases Easy Question 3 of 5 in Vitamins and Deficiency Diseases

Which one of the following is the correct matching of a vitamin, its nature and its deficiency disease :

A Vitamin K – Fat soluble – Beri Beri
B Vitamin A – Fat soluble – Beri Beri
C Vitamin K – Water soluble – Pellagra
D Vitamin A – Fat soluble – Night blindness

The answer is D.

Solution

Fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K; water soluble vitamins are the B group and C.
Vitamin A (retinol) is fat soluble. It forms the visual pigment rhodopsin in the rod cells of the retina. Its deficiency causes night blindness (and xerophthalmia).
Vitamin K is fat soluble and is needed for blood clotting; its deficiency delays clotting (haemorrhage). It is not water soluble.
Beri-beri is caused by deficiency of vitamin $B_1$ (thiamine), and pellagra by deficiency of niacin (vitamin $B_3$).
So the correct matching is Vitamin A – fat soluble – night blindness.

Concept Fat soluble vitamin A and night blindness

Vitamins and Deficiency Diseases in past papers

5 questions from this chapter have appeared across 4 exam years.