Inositol Deficiency in Gerbils: Dietary Effects on the INtestinal Lipodystrophy

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Abstract
The effects of coconut oil, partially purified triglycerides, and dietary cholesterol on the induction of the intestinal lipodystrophy were investigated in female gerbils fed diets low in inositol. When the inositol-deficient diet was fed with saturated triglycerides, maximal gut lipid was found with triglycerides rich in lauric acid (12:0) and somewhat less with those rich in capric acid (10:0) and myristic acid (14:0), these being the major fatty acids in coconut oil. Increasing chain length decreased the accumulation of gut lipid. No excess was found with triglycerides rich in caprylic acid (8:0), presumably absorbed through the portal system, or with stearic acid (18:0). The latter, however, was poorly absorbed. Unsaturated triglycerides rich in oleic or linoleic acids (18:1 ω 9 and 18:2 ω 6) also produced no accumulation of gut lipid. Feeding 0.2 to 0.5% of cholesterol accentuated the lipodystrophy, but this was prevented by inositol. The resistance of male gerbils to the lipodystrophy was eliminated by castration, indicating that testicular synthesis of inositol was a major factor in the difference between male and female gerbils.