Lymphatic absorption of structured glycerolipids containing medium‐chain fatty acids and linoleic acid, and their effect on cholesterol absorption in rats

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Abstract
The effects of various structured triglycerides containing medium-chain (caprylic or capric acids) and long-chain (linoleic acid) fatty acids on fatty acid and cholesterol absorption were studied in lymph-cannulated rats. A considerable portion of capric and caprylic acid was absorbed through the lymph duct, although to a lesser extent than was linoleic acid. Capric and linoleic acid located at the 2-position of 2-decanoyl-1,3-dilinoleoyl-glycerol (18∶2/10∶0/18∶2) and 2-linoleoyl-1,3-didecanoyl-glycerol (10∶0/18∶2/10∶0), respectively, tended to be absorbed more efficiently than those located at the 1- and 3-position or those from tricaprin (10∶0/10∶0/10∶0) or trilinolein (18∶2/18∶2/18∶2). A similar trend was observed when the medium-chain fatty acid was caprylic acid instead of capric acid. Caprylic acid absorption from 2-octanoyl-1,3-dilinoleoylglycerol (18∶2/8∶0/18∶2) was significantly greater (p<0.05) than from 2-linoleoyl-1,3-dioctanoyl-glycerol (8∶0/18∶2/8∶0) or tricaprylin (8∶0/8∶0/8∶0). Preferential absorption of caprylic and linoleic acid was not observed when the 1 to 2 and the 2 to 1 mixtures of 8∶0/8∶0/8∶0 and 18∶2/18∶2/18∶2, respectively, were administered. The structured lipids did not affect the lymphatic absorption of cholesterol. The results suggest that structured triglycerides composed of medium-chain fatty acids and linoleic acid may be more useful for the treatment of lipid malabsorption than are mixtures of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and long-chain triglycride (LCT).
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