DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION OP 1 PHOSPHOLIPIDS 241) 



O H 2 COH 



HoCOCR 



HCOH 



Lecithinase B I O + 



I * H 2 C— O— P— OCHsCH 2 X(CH,) s 



HCOCR' I 



Hi-O-P-0CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 3 Glycerylphosphorylcholine 



OH 

 a-Lecithin + RCOOH + R'COOH 



Fatty acids 

 HoCOH H 2 COH 



Hi 



OH .„..,,„..., HCOH + H,1>0, + 



Alkaline phosphatase 



I 



Phosphoric 



HsCOP— OCH 2 CH,X(CH 3 ) 3 H 2 COH 



q H Glycerol 



Glycerylphosphorylcholine + 



HOCH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 );, 



Choline 



The Partial aud Complete Hydrolysis of Lecithin 



of this phospholipid (Slowtzoff 10 and Eckstein 11 ) as well as in the blood 

 (Eichholtz 12 ). Leites 13 was unable to demonstrate any increase in the 

 portal venous blood after the feeding of lecithin, and therefore he con- 

 cluded that it was transported by way of the lymph. However, some- 

 what the same picture has been reported by Sullmann and Wilbrandt 14 

 as occurring after the feeding of neutral fat and lecithin. This finding 

 renders the interpretation of the results somewhat uncertain. On the 

 other hand, Rewald, 15 Serejski, 16 and Heinlein 17 all reported an increased 

 phospholipid content in the tissues, when the feeding of phospholipids 

 was continued over a long period. Heinlein 17 further proved that this 

 increase in tissue phospholipids does not occur Avhen the bile is excluded 

 from the intestine, a condition which is known to result in the impair- 

 ment of phospholipid absorption. After consideration of all of the above 

 findings, one may conclude that it is still an open question whether or not 

 lecithin can be absorbed as such. If emulsification is a prime requisite 



10 B. Slowtzoff, Beilr. chem. Physiol. Pathol, 7, 508-513 (1900). 



11 H. C. Eckstein, J. Biol Chem., 62, 743-757 (1925). 



12 F. Eichholtz, Biochem. Z., 1U, 06-69 (1924). 



13 S. Leites, Biochem. Z., 184, 310-317 (1927). 



14 H. Sullmann and W. Wilbrandt, Biochem. Z., 270, 52-62 (1934). 



15 B. Rewald, Biochem. Z., 198, 103-1 10 ( 1928). 

 ,s M. Serejski, Biochem. Z., 201, 292-297 (1928). 



17 H. Heinlein, Z. gcs. exptl Med., 91, 638-682 (1933). 



