Nutritional effects of dihydroxystearic acid in rats

Two matching groups of weanling male albino rats were fed a purified diet containing 5% dihydroxystearic acid. All animals survived until they were killed; the first group was sacrificed at age 150 days and the second at 305 days. Fecal fat analyses showed that at least 80% of the ingested dihydroxystearic acid was not exereted. Growth was depressed during the first four weeks; this was followed by a period of rapid weight inerease. The weight of the epididymal fat pads indicated depression of neutral fat deposition. Livers and adrenals were relatively heavy in the group killed earlier and essentially normal in those killed later. This and the eventual weight increase showed that the rats adapted themselves to the intake of the material. Gas liquid chromatography carried out on the methyl ethers of the epididymal fat did not reveal the presence of dihydroxystearic acid. The fatty acid composition of the lipids of serum, kidney, liver and epididymal fat was determined on the methyl esters of the lipid extracts.