The role of the octanoic fatty acid in the pathogenesis of the metabolic alkalosis in experimental liver failure.

Octanoate was found to stimulate the muscle proteins catabolism in rats with portacaval anastomosis thus increasing the amounts of 3-methylhistidine, creatinine, ammonium and urea in the excreted urine. The intensive decomposition of the endogenous proteins also produced great amounts of HCO3- whose levels increased in both the urine and blood. It is suggested that in hepatic insufficiency octanoate causes metabolic acidosis through: a) more intensive catabolism of the muscle proteins whose decomposition results in greater amounts of HCO3-, b) metabolization of octanoate to HCO3-, and c) inhibition of the ornithine cycle.