DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION OF HYDROCARBONS 277 



rats, over 60% of the paraffin was absorbed over a period of three hours. 

 The hydrocarbon, fed in olive oil, could be isolated from the unsaponifiable 

 fraction of the lipids of the intestinal mucosa. It was suggested that 

 the paraffin was metabolized in situ, or that an active transport via the 

 lymph occurred. The latter suggestion was supported by the demon- 

 stration of a wax in lymph after paraffin had been administered which 

 was not present after olive oil alone was given, and by the demonstration 

 of paraffin oil to the extent of 0.4% of the dry weight of the liver in rats 

 fed for fifteen months on a diet containing 10% of paraffin in olive oil. 



The fact that a number of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons have been 

 shown to form coordination compounds with desoxycholic acid would 

 seem to substantiate our evidence that these substances are absorbed. 

 Thus, choleic acids composed of 8 molecules of bile acid and one of the 

 acholic component have been reported for pentadecane (Ci 6 ), hexadecane 

 (Cie), pentatriacontane (C35), and tritetracontane (C43), while a coordina- 

 tion compound with 6 molecules of bile acids has been obtained with 

 undecane (C n ). 170 



Another fact which indicates that the aliphatic hydrocarbons have a 

 physiological significance is their widespread distribution in plant products. 

 Thus, n-eicosane (C 2 o) has been found in red-berry bryony oil {Bryonia 

 dioica)," 1 in Grecian laurel berry fat (Laurus nohilis), 172 and parsley seed 

 oil (Petroselinum latifolium (sativum)), 1 ' 13 while n-heptacosane (C27) has 

 been reported in apple cuticle wax. 174 n-Nonacosane (C29) has been identi- 

 fied in cabbage lipids, 175,176 in brussels sprouts, 177 and in the waxes of apple 

 peel, 178 - 179 pear, 180 grapefruit peel, 181 and Bing cherry skin. 182 Other 

 saturated hydrocarbons include n-hentriacontane (C31), found in brussels 



170 H. Rheinboldt, H. Pieper, and P. Zervas, Ann., 451, 256-273 (1927). 



171 A. Etard, Compt. rend., 114, 364-366 (1892). 



172 H. Matthes and H. Sander, Arch. Pharm., 246, 165-177 (1908). 



173 H. Matthes and W. Heintz, Ber. deut. pharm. Ges., 19, 325-329 (1909). 



174 A. C. Chibnall, S. H. Piper, A. Pollard, J. A B. Smith, and E. F. Williams, Biochem. 

 J., 25, 2095-2110 (1931); with P. N. Sahai, Ibid., 28, 2189-2208 (1934). 



176 H. J. Channon and A. C. Chibnall, Biochem. J., 23, 168-175 (1929). 



178 D. L. Collison and I. Smedley-MacLean, Biochem. J., 25, 606-613 (1931). 



177 P. N. Sahai and A. C. Chibnall, Biochem. J., 26, 403-412 (1932). 



178 K. S. Markley and C. E. Sando, J. Biol. Chem., 101, 431 (1933). 



179 K. S. Markley, S. B. Hendricks, and C. E. Sando, J. Biol. Chem., 98, 103-107 (1932). 



180 K S. Markley, S. B. Hendricks, and C. E. Sando, J. Biol. Chem., Ill, 133-146 

 (1935). 



181 K. S. Markley, E. K. Nelson, and M. S. Sherman, /. Biol. Chem., 118, 433-441 

 (1937). 



182 K. S. Markley and C. E. Sando, J. Biol. Chem., 119, 641-645 (1937). 



183 J. Ozaki, J. Agr. Chem. Soc. Japan, 6, 773-782 (1930); Chem. Abst., 25, 2754 

 (1931). 



