12 METABOLISM OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC PHOSPHOR rs. 



Xerking studied the lecithin distribution in animal organisms, and 

 quotes the lecithin content of the organs of various animals as varying 

 from 0.55 per cent in the pancreas to 1.5 per cent in the liver. 

 Schulze 6 investigated the lecithin content of various plant seeds, 

 and found from 0.5 to 1.5 per cent. This author also determined the 

 lecithin content of various portions of the bodies of rabbits, from 

 which it appeared that the average lecithin content equaled 0.45 per 

 cent of the living weight of the rabbits. In the case of a hedgehog 

 the average per cent of lecithin was 0.82 per cent of the rive weight. 

 A study of the stability of egg ard brain lecithins has recently been 

 made by Long c and a further study of lecithin emulsions was made 

 by Long and Gephart. d 



In making determinations of the deposition of lecithin and its con- 

 tent in organisms Franchini 6 found that feeding lecithin to rabbits 

 increased the content of this substance and also of glycero-phosphoric 

 acid in the liver and the muscles, but not in the brain. Lecithin 

 remains in the liver sometimes for fifteen days after its ingestion has 

 been stopped. The feeding causes a slight increase of glycero- 

 phosphoric acid and of formic acid but not of cholin. Most of the 

 ingested lecithin is absorbed, since only a very small increase is noted 

 in the feces. 



According to observations made by Merservizky/ lecithin forms 

 15.35 per cent of fresh hens' eggs. After six days the lecithin content 

 diminishes. The lecithin of the yolk is a storehouse of food for the 

 developing germ, and is used in the development of the skeletal phos- 

 phoric acid, in the building up of the phosphorus of proteins, and for 

 the liberation of energy, after which the fat radical is oxidized. 



According to Kiittner/ the influence of lecithin on the activity of 

 the digestive ferments varies with different enzyms, having a favor- 

 able effect upon the activity of the gastric and pancreatic enzyms, 

 but a retarding effect upon others. How lecithin itself is affected he 

 could not determine. 



Koch and Reed,* in an article on the relation of the extractive to 

 the protein phosphorus in the Aspergillus niger, express the view 

 that protein, or in the case of Aspergillus niger, nuclein phosphorus 

 is the most important form of phosphorus for cell life. It is formed 

 at the expense of the other forms of phosphorus, excepting lecithin, 

 and its formation is not diminished even in extreme starvation. In 

 building up the nucleins lecithin probably takes no direct part. 

 When lecithin is metabolized some or all of its phosphoric acid may be 

 built up into nucleins as a matter of economy to the organism. The 



Biochem. Zts., 1908, 10 : 193. * Biochem. Zts., 1907, 6 : 210. 



& Zts. physiol. Chem., 1908, 55 : 338. / Russky Uratch, 1907, No. 9, p. 302. 



< J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1908, 30 : 881. 9 Zts. physiol. Chem., 1906-7, 50 : 472. 



<Ubid., p. 895 hj. Biol. Chem., 1907, 3 : 49. 



