Intestinal lymph absorption of butter, corn oil, cod liver oil, menhaden oil, and eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid ethyl esters in rats

Adult male rats were surgically given a drainage catheter in the main mesenteric lymph duct. After an overnight fast, five groups of rats received intragastrically, in one bolus, butter, corn oil (GO), cod liver oil (CLO), menhaden oil (MO), or ethyl esters of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids (K80). Intestinal lymph was collected in these conscious animals, each hour during the first 6 h and in a single sample for the next 18 h. The absorption peak appeared earlier after MO and CO than after CLO administration. The quantities of triglycerides recovered during the first 6 h were significantly lower after butter (91 mg) and K80 (54 mg) administration than for the other three oils. No difference was observed between the vegetable oil and the two marine oils (CO = 173 mg, CLO = 148 mg, MO = 180 mg). The total triglyceride recovered in 24 h was highest after CLO (410 mg) and lowest with K80 (146 mg). An increase in the weight percentage of some characteristic fatty acids of the lipid mixtures was observed: oleic acid for butter, oleic and linoleic acids for CO, EPA and DHA for CLO, MO, and K80. Chylomicrons were the largest with CO, more numerous and smaller with CLO, and the smallest with K80. Results obtained illustrated the relation between gastrointestinal hydrolysis, enterocyte biochemical events, and lymph triglyceride absorption profiles as related to the composition and distribution of triglyceride fatty acids.