tricaprin

Tricaprin is a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) composed of a glycerol backbone esterified with three molecules of capric acid (decanoic acid). It is currently being developed as a targeted pharmaceutical intervention for Triglyceride Deposit Cardiomyovasculopathy (TDCV), a rare genetic metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency in adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL). In patients with TDCV, the heart cannot effectively break down long-chain triglycerides, leading to massive lipid accumulation in cardiomyocytes and coronary arteries, resulting in heart failure and severe atherosclerosis. Tricaprin acts as a metabolic bypass; it is hydrolyzed into decanoic acid, which can enter the mitochondria and undergo beta-oxidation independently of the ATGL-mediated pathway, providing a critical alternative energy source for the myocardium. Furthermore, tricaprin has been shown to stimulate the degradation of intracellular triglyceride deposits (lipolysis) and improve myocardial glucose uptake. It has received Orphan Drug Designation in Japan for the treatment of TDCV.

Other names

Glyceryl tridecanoateTridecanoinGlycerol tridecanoateTri-n-decanoin1,2,3-tridecanoylglycerol