Absorption of lipids

Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain the hypocholesterolemic effect of GA (Annison et al., 1995 Tiss et al., 2001). Some studies have suggested that the viscosity of fermentable dietary fiber contributes substantially to the reduction of lipids in animals and humans (Gallaher et al., 1993 Moundras et al., 1994). However, other studies suggested that this property is not related to plasma lipids (Evans et al., 1992). The mechanism involved is clearly linked to increased bile acid excretion and fecal neutral sterol or a modification of digestion and absorption of lipids (Moundras et al., 1994). 

Historically, the absorption of lipid-soluble nutrients has been considered to be carrier-independent, with solutes diffusing into enterocytes down concentration gradients. This is true for some lipid-soluble components of plants (e.g. the hydroxytyrosol in olive oil Manna et al., 2000). However, transporters have been reported for several lipid-soluble nutrients. For example, absorption of cholesterol is partly dependent on a carrier-mediated process that is inhibited by tea polyphenols (Dawson and Rudel, 1999) and other phytochemicals (Park et al., 2002). A portion of the decreased absorption caused by tea polyphenols may be due to precipitation of the cholesterol associated with micelles (Ikeda et al., 1992). Alternatively, plant stanols and other phytochemicals may compete with cholesterol for transporter sites (Plat and Mensink, 2002). It is likely that transporters for other lipid-soluble nutrients are also affected by phytochemicals, although this has not been adequately investigated. 

There is no solid evidence that relates human aging and reduction of carotenoid absorption. In some studies, old people have shown a lower (3-carotene absorption than that of young people (Madani and others 1989), whereas the opposite has also been reported by other studies (Sugarman and others 1991). The absorption of lipid-soluble substances, including carotenoids, is affected by any disease related to the digestion and absorption of fats (West and Castenmiller 1998). Inadequate production of lipase and bile as well as an inadequate neutralization of the chyme in the duodenum affect carotenoid bioavailability (Guyton and Hall 2001). 

Furthermore, addition of lysine to soy protein markedly increased the rate of lipid absorption and addition of arginine to casein slowed lipid absorption. The slowed absorption of lipids in animals fed soy protein is similar to that reported for soluble fibers such as pectin and guar gum that act to lower serum cholesterol concentrations in a number of animal species, including humans. 

In addition to more rapid absorption of lipids in animals fed casein, another mechanism that may be operative is decreased clearance of circulating lipids. Rabbits fed a casein-based semipurified diet excreted significantly less cholesterol but more bile acids in their feces than animals fed a commercial diet (18). The total sterol excretion in feces of the animals fed the casein diet was half that of the rabbits fed the stock diet. Huff and Carroll (19) found that rabbits fed soy protein had a much faster turnover rate of cholesterol and a significantly reduced rapidly exchangeable cholesterol pool compared with rabbits fed casein. Similar studies performed in our laboratory revealed that the mean transit time for cholesterol was 18.4 days in rabbits fed soy protein, 36.8 days in rabbits fed casein, 33.7 days in rabbits fed soy plus lysine, and 36.3 days in rabbits fed casein plus arginine. These data suggest that addition of lysine to soy protein... 

Generally, to produce a biological response, a drug molecule must first cross at least one biological membrane. The biological membrane acts as a lipid barrier to most drugs and permits the absorption of lipid-soluble substances by passive diffusion while lipid-insoluble substances can diffuse if at all across the barrier only with considerable difficulty. The interrelationship of the dissociation constant, lipid solubility, and pH at the absorption site and absorption characteristics of various drugs are the basis of the pH-partition theory. 

Gastrointestinal enzyme activities tend to be lower in the newborn than in the adult. Activities of -amylase and other pancreatic enzymes in the duodenum are low in infants up to 4 months of age. Neonates also have low concentrations of bile acids and lipase, which may decrease the absorption of lipid-soluble drugs. 

D. Absorption of lipids by intestinal mucosal cells (enterocytes)... 

Absorption of lipids contained in a mixed micelle by an intestinal mucosal cell. 

The digestion and absorption of dietary lipid can be completed only in the presence of adequate amounts of bile salts that are synthesized in the liver and pass, via the bile duct, into the duodenum and thence into the jejunum. Reabsorption of the bile salt micelles occurs in the ileum, from which a large proportion return via the blood to the liver. The bile ducts carry bile salts from the liver to the gallbladder, where they are stored excreted (excess) cholesterol is dissolved in the bile salt micelles. Overall, 90 percent of the bile salts involved in absorption of lipid in the jejunum are recycled, in a process called the enterohepatic circulation, and 10 percent are lost in the feces. Replacement of this amount necessitates conversion from cholesterol. Thus, de novo synthesis of cholesterol itself plays an important part in maintaining the supply of bile salts. 

Emulsification/absorption of dietary lipid in the intestine. Bile acids are stored in the gallbladder and released into the duodenum when cholecys-tokinin is released. In the small intestine, bile acids help to solubilise monoglycerides and fatty acids which are formed as the result of the digestion of dietary triglyceride, thereby enhancing the absorption of lipids and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. 

Patient 1 has been gradually becoming more cholestatic over the last few weeks. Her results suggest that because of the cholestasis the absorption of lipid-soluble drugs and the elimination of biliary cleared drugs may be affected. She has pruritus associated with the cholestasis, so drugs that cause itching are best avoided. 

The transport system is saturated at relatively low concentrations of thiamin (about 2 /xmol per L), thus limiting the amount of thiamin that can be absorbed. As a result, increasing test doses of thiamin from 2.5 to 20 mg have only a negligible effect on the plasma concentration of thiamin or on urinary excretion. By contrast, the absorption of lipid-soluble aUithiamin derivatives is not apparendy saturable, and they can be used to achieve high blood concentrations of thiamin. 

Lipstatin (58), comprised of a 3,5-dihydroxy-2-hexyl hexadeca-7,9-dienoic acid with cyclization of the hydroxy group at C-3 with the carboxylic acid to form a P-lactone and esterification of the hydroxy group at C-5 with a A-formyl leucine, was isolated from Streptomyces toxytricini. It inhibits gastric and pancreatic lipase and blocks intestinal absorption of lipids (40, 41). Reduction of the olefins led to the synthesis of tetrahydrolipstatin, which was approved in 1999 as Xenical (59) for the treatment of obesity (42-44). 

P4. Peressini, A., Bottacin, L., and Volpato, S., Effect of gastric mucoprotein and vitamin B 2 fasting blood lipids and on absorption of lipids in the artiflcially fed infant. Acta Paediat. Latina 11, 693 (1958). 

Peptide and Amino Add Absorption Digestion and Absorption of Lipids General... 

Taurine is a rather specialized topic in the nutritional biochemistry of digestion. Taurine, 2 aminoethane sulfonic acid, is synthesized from cysteine, as shown in Figure 2AI). I hc taurine molecule contains an amino group as well as an acidic group. Taurine has not been found in proteins, although some evidence suggests that it occurs in certain polypeptides. Taurine t ccurs as a component of bile salts and plays an important role in the transport and absorption of lipids. 

Digestion and Absorption of Lipids 93 TABLE 2.2 Fatty Acids that Occur in Food Triglycerides... 

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