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The Rate of Absorption of Various Fatty Acids by the Rat¹

Department of Biochemistry, The University of Southern California Medical School, Los Angeles

A comparison has been made in the rate of absorption of the fatty acids by the rat from acetic to tridecylic acids inclusive. The distillable fatty acids (acetic to heptylic) were fed as the sodium salts while the higher homologues were administered as the free acids.

Butyric, caproic, and caprylic acids were absorbed the most rapidly. Propionic, valeric and heptoic acids disappeared from the intestine much more slowly while nonylic acid occupied an intermediate position. The wide discrepancy which we have noted earlier in the rate of absorption of the triglycerides composed of even- and odd-chain fatty acids may be explained on the basis of differences in removal of the component fatty acids from the gut.

The absorption of sodium acetate was much slower than might be expected from the earlier results on triacetin although the rate was greater than for sodium propionate. Capric, undecylic and tridecylic acids were absorbed at rates approximating 20 mg. per 100 sq.cm. per hour as determined in experiments of 1 and 3 hours in duration. Only minimal quantities of lauric acid left the gastrointestinal tract over a 3-hour period. The slow speed of absorption may be partly ascribed to its solidification in the stomach; however, trilaurin which has a higher melting point was shown earlier to be absorbed much more rapidly.

Manuscript received 8 November 1940.