Carnitine effect on heart steatosis induced in rats by rapeseed oil.
Myocardial triglyceride levels in rats fed a high erucic acid rapeseed oil diet for three days were five times higher than in controls. The incorporation of erucic acid and, to a lower extent, some unsaturated fatty acids was increased, as well as total cholesterol content, compared to controls. The presence of 5% carnitine in the diet partially prevented these effects. It is assumed that carnitine may be a rate limiting factor in the myocardial catabolism of unsaturated fatty acids and particularly erucic acid, when these substance are ingested in supraoptimal amount.
D000818:Animals; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000378:metabolism*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004883:Erucic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D008064:Lipidoses / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009821:Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D004883:Erucic Acids; D005227:Fatty Acids; D009821:Oils; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002331:Carnitine