Taurocholate stimulates the absorption and biotransformation of β‐carotene in intact and lymph duct‐cannulated ferrets

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Abstract
We have determined the influence of dietary taurocholate and β‐carotene on the absorption and biotransformation of newly administered β‐[14C]carotene. Male ferrets were fed the control or β‐carotene diet (0.05% β‐carotene wt/wt) with and without taurocholate (1% wt/wt) for four weeks, and then the absorption and biotransformation of newly administered β‐[14C]carotene was measured after eight hours in intact or thoracic lymph duct‐cannulated animals. Percent recovery of β‐[14C]carotene in the liver was increased 3.6‐fold (p < 0.05) in the taurocholate‐fedferrets regardless of whether they were fed the control or β‐carotene diet. Percent recovery of labeled vitamin A in the liver was also increased by the same magnitude (p < 0.05). These results were confirmed in thoracic lymph duct‐cannulated ferrets. The recoveries of β‐carotene label in the lymph were comparable to the corresponding values in livers of intact animals. The recovery of β‐carotene label in the liver was 50% (p < 0.05) higher in β‐carotene‐fed than in control animals. Taurocholate stimulates intestinal absorption of newly administered β‐[14C]carotene and its metabolic conversion to 14C‐labeled vitamin A (retinol + retinyl ester) 3.6‐fold. β‐Carotene absorption is as efficient in thoracic lymph duct‐cannulated ferrets as in intact animals. Prior β‐carotene feeding also stimulates the absorption of newly administered β‐carotene by 50%.