Methyl linoleate was heated for 10 hrs. at 300ªC, in the absence of air and fractionated by alembic distillation and urea adduct-formation. Intestinal absorptions of the urea adduct-forming monomeric nonadduct-forming monomeric, and dimeric fractions were determined. It was found that dimers were half as well absorbed as the monomers. When fed to rats, dimers were better accepted and exhibited some toxicity symptoms different from the non-adduct-forming monomers. The dimers caused diarrhea, irritability, and loss of hair during the early period of administration. The nonadduct-forming monomers were lethal and produced an increase in liver weight. Both fractions depressed growthFacultad de Ciencias Médicas