monobutyrin

**Monobutyrin** is a monoglyceride formed by the esterification of *butyric acid* with one of the primary hydroxyl groups of *glycerol*. Naturally found in butter and cod liver oil, it is most commonly used as a feed and food additive due to its lipid-regulating, antibacterial, and gut barrier-promoting properties[1][2][3][5][6]. Monobutyrin is bioactive and more stable than free butyric acid with reduced volatility and odor[1][2]. In animal and preclinical studies, monobutyrin has been shown to: - Improve lipid metabolism and lower hepatic lipid accumulation, partly by activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) signaling pathway[1]. - Enhance intestinal barrier integrity by promoting villi growth, tight-junction development, and modulating immune cell populations (increasing regulatory T cells and Th17 cells in the intestine)[5]. - Have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against enteric pathogens (e.g., *E. coli*, *Salmonella*, *Clostridium*, *Brachispira*, *Lawsonia*) that is pH-independent, promoting its use as an alternative to antibiotics in animal husbandry[3][9]. - Modulate gut microbiota composition, increasing beneficial bacteria such as *Lactobacillus*, and support healthy microbiota development in weaned animals[1][5][7]. - Act as an angiogenic factor secreted by differentiating adipocytes and support blood vessel formation[2]. Mechanistically, monobutyrin is absorbed in the intestine and may be metabolized through glycerol kinase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase pathways, thereby reducing lipid deposition and supporting metabolic health[1][2].

Brand names

Monobutyrin – Hydro C4

Other names

butanoic acid 2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester1-butyrylglycerolalpha-monobutyringlycerol alpha-monobutyrateglyceryl 3-monobutyrateglyceryl3-monobutyrateglyceryl-3-monobutyrate1-monobutyrinmono-n-butyrin2,3-dihydroxypropyl butanoatebutyrin, 1-mono-glycerol 1-monobutyrateglycerol1-monobutyrateglycerol-1-monobutyrate