SummaryThe present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of dietary medium and long chain triglycerides (MCT and LCT) on fat deposition and fatty acid composition of adipose tissues of rats. Twen ty-seven Wistar strain male rats were divided into three groups and fed semisynthetic experimental diets: Basal (AIN 76), MCT (basal+C8:0 10%), LCT (basal+corn oil 10%). Feed intake was measured every day and body weight was measured once a week. At the beginning, 4th and 8 th week of experimental feeding, 3, 12, 12 rats were slaughtered, re spectively. Liver, perirenal and epididymal adipose tissue pads were weighed and their fatty acid composition was determined. Chemical composition of wholebody carcass was measured. Body weight gain was greater in rats fed the LCT diet than in rats fed the basal and MCT diets. Feed intakes were decreased in rats fed the MCT and LCT diets compared to that of the basal group. Subsequently, when compared to the basal group rats, feed efficiencies in rats fed the MCT and LCT diets were improved at the level of 6 and 14% for 4 weeks, and then 17 and 24% for 8 weeks, respectively. The weight of perirenal and epididymal adipose tissue pads tended to be larger in rats fed the MCT and LCT diets than in the basal group, although not significant. There were not significant di ff erences in wholebody composition among the three groups. But it appeared that in rats fed the MCT diet, moisture content tended to be decreased and crude protein content increased compared to the LCT group rats. Fatty acid composition of the rats fed the LCT diet showed a good reflection of dietary fatty acid composition. Unlike LCT, little of medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) itself were incorporated into liver or adipose tissues. However, it seems that fat deposition of the MCT group was accomplished not by incorporation of dietary fatty acids but by de novo fatty acids synthesis.

The present study investigates fat deposition, variances of fatty acid (FA) composition, and lipogenic enzyme activities through dietary medium- and long-chain triglyceride (MCT and LCT) supplementation in growing rats. Eighteen male Wistar rats were divided into three groups and fed isocalorically for 4 weeks with control (based on AIN 76), MCT (C8:0 26%), or LCT (corn oil 25%) diets. Compared to the control group with 0.28 +/- 0.01, feed efficiency was lower in the MCT rats and greater in the LCT rats (0.24 +/- 0.01 and 0.33 +/- 0.01, respectively). Weights of perirenal and epididymal adipose tissue pads of the MCT rats were similar to those of the control group, but were significantly lower than those of the LCT group. Whole-body carcass components data of MCT rats showed the decrease in moisture and protein contents compared to those of control and LCT rats. Fat content of LCT rats was 25-30% higher than those of the MCT and control group. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, citrate cleavage enzyme, and malic enzyme activities of liver and epididymal adipose tissue were markedly low in LCT rats. In the MCT group, however, lipogenic enzyme activities were not suppressed, and malic enzyme activity was drastically increased. FA composition of whole-body triglycerides and epididymal adipose tissue in MCT rats showed that C16:0 and C16:1 levels were higher than those of the LCT rats. In contrast, FA composition of the LCT group presented high C18:2 content.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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