Distribution of radioactive octacosanol in response to exercise in rats.

To study the mechanism of action of octacosanol in rats the biodistribution of radioactivity of octacosanol was investigated in response to exercise. The amount of voluntary exercise was significantly higher in octacosanol fed rats than in the control. After ingestion of 14C-octacosanol, the accumulation of radioactivity of octacosanol in the muscle of exercised group given octacosanol was significantly higher in comparison with that of the exercised control group given no octacosanol and also the non-exercised groups irrespective of whether they were given octacosanol or not. The muscle thus seemed to be able to store a considerable amount of octacosanol in response to exercise. Although the exact mechanism of increase in physical exercise caused by octacosanol is not known, it is possible that octacosanol increases the mobilization of free fatty acids from fat cells within muscle. The results indicate that octacosanol possesses an adipokinetic activity, which might affect the lipolysis process of muscle.