Non-Esterified Higher Fatty Acids in Serum of CCl 4 -Treated and Normal Rats and Other Species

Summary

1. Available methods for the determination of the “free,” i.e. non-esterified, higher fatty acid fraction in serum were modified. These acids are firmly bound to albumin. Slightly less than one mole of them was found per mole albumin in normal rat, rabbit and bovine serum. 2. Serum of carbon tetra-chloride-treated rats contained more non-esterified higher fatty acids (1.30 moles per mole albumin) than that of normal rats (0.85 mole per mole albumin). The difference was statistically significant. 3. The results are considered indicative of the impaired liver function in the injured rats. They offer further evidence for the postulation that the lowering of the azorubin-binding capacity of serum albumin is caused by increased concentrations of firmly bound higher fatty acids.