Effects of intravenous L-Carnitine administration on lipid utilization in hepatectomized rats

1990 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 01570708
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: General surgery
• Research Institution: Fukui Medical School
• Principal Investigator: ISOBE Yosiaki Fukui Medical School Assistant Professor, 医科部, 講師 (30159818)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KATAYAMA Kanji Fukui Medical School Research Associate, 医学部, 助手 (30204431)
• Project Period (FY): 1989 – 1990
• Keywords: Carnitine / Hepatectomy / Lipid metabolism

Research Abstract

We studied the effects of l-carnitine administration on lipid metabolism and changes in 70% hepatectomized rats.
[Materials and thods] After 70% hepatectomy, TPN was continued for 72hrs. The rats were separated into five groups according to TPN solution. The TPN regimens were as follows, 240ml/Kg/day solution containing 160kcal Kg/day of non-protein calories (NPC) and 1.8gr. NItrogen/Kg/day of protein. Group1 (G1) received 100% of NPC with glucose. Group2 (G2) received 20% and Grou3 (G3) received 40% of NPC with fat emulsion. Group2c (G2c) and Group3c (G3c) was administered 250mg/Kg of L-carnitine, respectively. Nitrogen balance, Plasma and urinary carnitine concentrations, blood ketone bodies concentration and plasma free fatty acid (FFA) level, etc, were measured. Cumulative amounts of expired ^<14>CO_2 was also measured using ^<14>C-labelled palmitic acid.
[Results] Statstically, no obvious differences were observed in measured water balance, serum total protein and albumin level and biood glucose concentration among five groups. And also there was no advers effects on liver and renal function. The plasma free carnitine concentration (nmol/l) was 64.2<plus-minus>2.0 in G-1, 55.1<plus-minus>18.3 in G-2, 45.4<plus-minus>12.8 in G-3, 108.3<plus-minus>15.8 in G-2c and 114.4<plus-minus>17.6 in G-3c. The cumulative urinary carnitine value (nmol) was 12.6<plus-minus>1.8 in G-1, 11.2<plus-minus>1.1 in G-2, 8.0<plus-minus>1.4 in G-3, 16.5<plus-minus>4.5 in G-2c and 16.4<plus-minus>2.1 in G-3c. Plasma carnitine values were within the range in G-1 and G-2, and tend to decrease in G-3 but significantrly increased in G-2c and G-3c. The urinary carnitine excretion statistically decreased in G-3 and markedly increaed in G-2c and G-3c. Increase in serum FFA level and ketone bodies were observed in G-2 and G-3, but significant decrease were observed by L-carnitine administration. The cumulative amounts of ^<14>CO_2 were significantly higher in G-3c than G-3. The histological study indicated marked fatty liver in G-1, no fatty infiltration in G-2. There was focal fatty infiltration of liver in G-3 and the decrease of infiltration
[Conclusion] These results indicated that the lipid metabolism in G-2 was maintained and the lipid overload in G-3 was regarded, but lipid utilization was improved in G-3c. It is suggested that the supplementation of L-carnitine is effective for improving exogenous lipid metabolism.