[Hepatic CoA availability in the use of long-chain and medium-chain triglycerides]

Medium chain fatty acids are activated in contrast to long chain fatty acids within the mitochondrial matrix space to acyl-CoA. Therefore they are considered independent from the carnitine transfer system. Using the model of the isolated perfused rat liver, the influence of LCT and MCT on the hepatic CoA-availability was tested by means of the CoA dependent benzoate induced hippurate formation. During the perfusion with MCT only 1/3 of the amount of hippuric acid was formed compared to the effect of LCT. This result could be confirmed in surgical patients under total parenteral nutrition including MCT respectively LCT. The results of our investigations suggest, that the use of MCT leads to a lower hepatic CoA-availability when compared to LCT.