Abstract
Intestinal absorption of a α-lipoic acid derivative, thiamine-8-(methyl-6-acetyldihydrothioctate) disulfide (TATD) was investigated using the ligated dog intestine in order to compare with the absorption of TATD by in vitro method of isolated rat intestine, previously reported. The compound in the mesenteric venous blood was found mainly as free thiamine and lipoic acid like a result observed in the in vitro experiment. However, 1 to 30 minute bloods after infusion of TATD contained the compound of disulfide form which was detected by bioautography using a thiamine-less mutant Esherichia coli 70-23 or Streptococcus faecalis R and was determined by fluorometric method for thiamine disulfide assay, showing absorption below 10% of TATD absorbed. A small part of TATD in the blood was converted to a bound form of lipoic acid with plasma protein.
