title: Free and total carnitine concentrations in pig plasma after oral ingestion of various L-carnitine compounds.
abstract: This study was undertaken to investigate the bioavailability of various L-carnitine esters (acetyl-L-carnitine and lauroyl-L-carnitine) and salts (L-carnitine L-tartrate, L-carnitine fumarate, L-carnitine magnesium citrate) relative to base of free L-carnitine. Six groups of five or six piglets each were administered orally a single dose of 40 mg L-carnitine equivalents/kg body weight of each of those L-carnitine compounds. A seventh group served as a control. Free and total plasma carnitine concentrations were determined 1, 2, 3.5, 7, 24, and 32 hours after administration of the single dose. Area-under-the-curve (AUC) values were calculated to assess the bioavailability of the L-carnitine compounds. AUC values, calculated for the time interval between 0 and 32 hours, for both free and total carnitine were similar for base of free L-carnitine and the three L-carnitine salts (L-carnitine L-tartrate, L-carnitine fumarate, L-carnitine magnesium citrate) while those of the two esters (acetyl-L-carnitine, lauroyl-L-carnitine) were lower. Administration of L-carnitine L-tartrate yielded a higher plasma free carnitine AUC value for the time interval between 0 and 3.5 hours than administration of the other compounds. The data of this study suggest that L-carnitine salts have a similar bioavailability to that of free L-carnitine while L-carnitine esters have a lower one. The study also suggests that L-carnitine L-tartrate is absorbed faster than the other L-carnitine compounds.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Emil-Abderhalden-Strasse 26, 06108 Halle/Saale, Germany. eder@landw.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eder
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Felgner
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kluge
mesh_terms: D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001682:Biological Availability; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007848:Laurates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine; D013644:Tartrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007848:Laurates; D013644:Tartrates; C091947:lauroylcarnitine; D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine; C029768:tartaric acid