Mechanism of inhibition of alanine absorption by Na ricinoleate.

The mechanism of inhibition of alanine absorption by Na ricinoleate has been examined in the rabbit intestine. This fatty acid in a concentration of 2--5 mM inhibits alanine absorption in vivo and in vitro. The inhibition is more evident in the jejunum than in the ileum. Strips of ileal mucosa treated with Na ricinoleate gain Na. Sodium ricinoleate inhibits alanine influx across rabbit ileum, even in the presence of a sodium gradient across these cells. The results suggest that the main action of Na ricinoleate is on the alanine-transport system at the brush-border membrane. The fatty acid may also inhibit amino acid absorption by increasing intestinal cell Na concentration, which results in a decreased Na gradient across the brush-border membrane.