The metabolism of propionic acid

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Abstract
The relative radioactivities of odd- and even-numbered fatty acids (FA) obtained from goat milk after injection of (1-C14) acetate were determined after separation of the compounds by gas-liquid chromatography. Perceptible activity was demonstrated in the odd-numbered FA FA from a cow udder perfused with (1-C") propionate were separated on the gas chromatogram and their radioactivity was determined. Highest activity was found in the odd-numbered FA fractions. Oxidative degradation of n-pentadecanoic acid isolated from the cow udder by gass chromatography produced a variety of radioactive shorter-chain FA. The naturally occurring odd-numbered FA are synthesized by condensation of acetate with propionate by a mechanism similar to that obtaining for the even-numbered FA. Acetate, n-butyrate and n-caproate isolated from the udder after perfusion with (1-C") propionate were radioactive. No scheme of degradation yet put forward can account for this. An analogous conversion of (1-C**) acetate into (1-C") formate in the rabbit is known to occur.