190 II. DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION OF FATS 



Verzar and Laszt 705 ' 706 were the first to demonstrate the influence of the 

 adrenal glands on fat absorption. Judovits and Verzar 854 also pointed out 

 a somewhat similar mechanism to explain the absorption of carbohydrate. 

 In an extensive series of investigations, Verzar and Laszt demonstrated that 

 fat absorption was inhibited by adrenalectomy in rats, and also that the 

 normal function could be restored by the administration of cortical extract, 

 but not by epinephrine or ascorbic acid. These substances would be ex- 

 pected to restore fat absorption to normal if the adrenal medulla were the 

 portion of the gland important in controlling fat absorption. It was postu- 

 lated that the hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex controlled the phos- 

 phorylation of fat in the intestinal mucosa, a process which was believed 

 to be essential in bringing about the absorption of fat. This mechanism 

 was also related to the lack of riboflavin (vitamin B 2 ), since the activity of 

 the adrenal cortex was found to be diminished in riboflavin deficiency. 

 Verzar and McDougall 554 suggest that, in all cases of diminished activity 

 of the adrenal cortex (experimental vitamin B 2 -avitaminosis, pellagra, 

 tropical and non-tropical sprue, and Addison's disease), disturbances in 

 fat absorption occur concomitantly. 855 



On the other hand, Barnes et aZ. 856 - 857 failed to note any decrease in the 

 absorption of the methyl esters of the fatty acids of corn oil, or of the corn 

 oil itself, after removal of the adrenal glands, if the rats were maintained on 

 salt solution. Deuel and co-workers 739 had concluded earlier that the role 

 of the adrenal cortex in glucose absorption is a secondary one ; if dehydra- 

 tion and the consequent circulatory disturbances were avoided following 

 adrenalectomy, by the administration of Rubin-Krick or sodium chloride 

 solution, no disturbance in carbohydrate absorption was noted after adrenal 

 extirpation. 



However, the results of Bavetta and associates 709 do support those of the 

 Verzar group in demonstrating a decrease of fat absorption following adre- 

 nalectomy. The drop in absorption rate amounted to 38% of that of the 

 normal in the untreated adrenalectomized rats, while it was only 24% 

 of the normal in the salt-treated animals from which the adrenals had been 

 extirpated. The reduction in absorption was associated with an accumula- 

 tion of fatty acids in the intestine. Both of the deficiencies were corrected 

 by the feeding of cortin. 



864 N. Judovits and F. Verzar, Biochem. Z., 292, 182-188 (1937). 

 866 F. Verzar, Schweiz. vied. Wochschr., 65, 1093-1097 (1935). 



866 R. H. Barnes, A. N. Wick, E. S. Miller, and E. M. MacKay, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol, 

 Med., 40, 651-655 (1939). 



8S7 R. H. Barnes, E. S. Miller, and G. O. Burr, Am. J. Physiol, 126, P 427 (1939). 



