Medium chain triglycerides dose‐dependently prevent liver pathology in a rat model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

To determine if there was a beneficial effect of dietary medium chain triglycerides (MCT) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), male rats were isocalorically overfed diets containing 10–70% total energy as corn oil or a 70% fat diet in which corn oil was replaced with increasing concentrations of saturated fat (18:82, beef tallow:MCT oil) from 20–65% for 21 d using total enteral nutrition (TEN). As dietary content of corn oil increased, hepatic steatosis and serum ALTs were elevated (P<0.05). This was accompanied by greater expression of cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2E1 (P<0.05) and higher concentrations of polyunsaturated 18:2 and 20:4 fatty acids (FA) in the hepatic lipid fractions (P<0.05). Increasing the proportion of MCT‐enriched saturated fat resulted in a dose‐dependent reduction in steatosis and necrosis without affecting CYP2E1 induction. There was no incorporation of C8–C10 FAs into liver lipids, but increasing dietary MCT reduced liver lipid 18:2 and 20:4 concentrations; reduced membrane susceptibility to radical attack; stimulated FA beta‐and omega‐oxidation as a result of activation of peroxisomal proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)alpha and appeared to increase mitochondrial respiration through complex III. These data suggest that dietary MCT could be utilized as a potential treatment for NAFLD. Supported in part by USDA, ARS‐CRIS 6251–51000‐005–004S.