Abstract
The authors report the effect of orotic acid on liver lipids in two groups of rats, one is damaged liver tissue by carbon tetrachloride, and the other is depleted protein by none protein diet. In the former, fall of ratio of esterified to total cholesterol, and increase of neutral fats and fatty acids were observed in liver, but by the adminstration of orotic acid cholesterolesterification was accelerated and neutral fats and fatty acids were suppressed. Phospholipids in liver increased by the administration of orotic acid whether liver was damaged or not. In the latter group, cholesterol in liver decreased remarkably but increased not so much even by the administration of orotic acid. Neutral fats and fatty acids in liver were not influenced by the administration of orotic acid, while phospholipids increased markedly. Thus, by the adminstration of orotic acid it is possible to prevent deposition of neutral fats in liver and increase phospholipids in liver. This fact shows the lipotropic action of orotic acid.
