Effects of the Prevention of Coprophagy in the Rat

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Abstract
Biotin deficiency can be induced in the rat by feeding a biotin-free diet and totally preventing coprophagy. The extent of the deficiency is dependent in part on the type of fat that is fed. Corn oil and olive oil in the diet caused a more severe deficiency to develop than hydrogenated coconut oil. Biotin deficiency developed much quicker when 25% of egg white was fed. However, the possibility exists that prevention of coprophagy may completely abolish the availability of biotin that is synthesized in the intestinal tract. When cholesterol was fed to rats that were biotin-deficient due to feeding egg white inhibition of cholesterol storage in the liver was confirmed. This interference with storage was not observed in rats made mildly deficient by the prevention of coprophagy. Certain changes in serum cholesterol that are associated with biotin deficiency have been observed and their significance is discussed.