The effect of L-carnitine supplementation in 4 pentenoic acid treated rats.
The effects of prolonged administration (7 days) of 4 pentenoic acid (4PA, 20 mg/kg/day) or 4PA (20 mg/kg/day) with L-carnitine (200 mg/kg/day) on carnitine metabolism and morphological changes of liver mitochondria were assessed in rats. 4PA-treated rats showed hyperammonemia, decreased levels of blood glucose, free fatty acids and beta-OH-butyrate, and of free carnitine in serum, muscle and liver, increased excretion of acylcarnitine in urine, and enlarged mitochondria with microvesicular steatosis, when compared to saline-injected control rats, respectively. 4PA plus L-carnitine rats showed decreased levels of blood ammonia and increased levels of beta-OH-butyrate, compared to the 4PA group. On the other hand, the levels of free carnitine in serum and liver in rats treated with both 4PA and L-carnitine were increased, when compared to controls. The ratio of acylcarnitine to free carnitine excreted in urine in 4PA-treated rats was higher than that in either the control or 4PA plus L-carnitine group. The liver mitochondria in the 4PA plus L-carnitine group were the same as in the controls. The results suggested that the abnormal biochemical and morphological findings due to only 4PA may be relieved with L-carnitine supplementation.
Sugimoto
T
T
Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
Woo
M
M
Nishida
N
N
Araki
A
A
Murakami
K
K
Kobayashi
Y
Y
D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000633:toxicity*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012202:Reye Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D000641:Ammonia; C009785:4-pentenoic acid; D002331:Carnitine