The metabolism and mechanism of action of 4-pentenoic acid has been investigated in
isolated perfused rat livers. 4-Pentenoic acid (up to 10 µmoles per g of liver) was rapidly
metabolized with the consumption of slightly more than 2 g atoms of oxygen per mole of 4-
pentenoic acid added and production of 0.5 mole of ketone bodies. Addition of larger
amounts of 4-pentenoic acid resulted in an incomplete metabolism. Tissue levels of
coenzyme A and carnitine fell by 83% and 70%, respectively, within 1 min after 4-pentenoic …