[L-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid as a source of cysteine in parenteral nutrition].

In this study we investigated, whether L-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TAC), a cysteine derivative analogous to proline, may provide a useful nutrient in parenteral nutrition. Young male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained entirely by parenteral nutrition for 15 days. Weight gain, nitrogen balance, taurine and cystine concentrations of the various body fluids and tissues were the criteria for establishing the availability of cysteine from TAC.