THE EFFECTS OF TRIETHANOLAMINE MYRISTATE, A FATTY-ACID SALT, ON THE AVAILABILITY OF RIBOFLAVIN IN HUMANS

A human study examined the effect of administering a triethanolamine m yristate tablet 30 min prior to or concomitantly with a fast release r iboflavin tablet and a slow release riboflavin tablet. There was no si gnificant difference between any of the treatments although treatments with the slow release riboflavin resulted in greater urinary excretio n of riboflavin. It is possible that a difference may only be seen wit hin subjects because gastric emptying has a large intraindividual vari ation. When triethanolamine myristate is administered to delay gastric emptying, the inhibition may be affected by the individual's normal t ransit rate. Another reason might be lack of sufficient bile salts in the fasting state, reducing chyme and micelle formation, or a higher d ose of triethanolamine myristate may have been needed to detect a diff erence.