Oral polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine reduces platelet lipid and cholesterol contents in healthy volunteers

Injection of phosphatidylcholine in fat tissue: experimental study of local action in rabbits

BACKGROUND

Subcutaneous phosphatidylcholine to cause local lipolysis has been performed effectively and safely in the nonsurgical treatment of periorbital fat pads and also in the treatment of localized fat deposits in the abdomen, neck, arms and thighs. However, the studies do not explain the mechanism through which injectable phosphatidylcholine causes localized fat reduction. This study aimed to compare the local action of a phosphatidylcholine formulation with that of a physiologic saline solution in a histologic study investigating the fat tissue of rabbits.

METHODS

Using a randomized, blind approach, 10 rabbits were injected with an experimental assay of phosphatidylcholine (the biologic model), and another 10 rabbits were injected with physiologic saline. A histologic study was conducted, and the Mann-Whitney test was applied.

RESULTS

A marked difference was observed between the two groups with respect to necrosis, inflammatory exudation, and fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

Necrosis of the fat cells in all the phosphatidylcholine-injected animals was observed. Further studies should be performed to clarify and determine the mechanisms of action.

Mesotherapy and phosphatidylcholine injections: historical clarification and review

BACKGROUND

Mesotherapy was originally conceived in Europe as a method of utilizing cutaneous injections containing a mixture of compounds for the treatment of local medical and cosmetic conditions. Although mesotherapy was traditionally employed for pain relief, its cosmetic applications, particularly fat and cellulite removal, have recently received attention in the United States. Another treatment for localized fat reduction, which was popularized in Brazil and uses injections of phosphatidylcholine, has been erroneously considered synonymous with mesotherapy. Despite their attraction as purported "fat-dissolving" injections, the safety and efficacy of these novel cosmetic treatments remain ambiguous to most patients and physicians.

OBJECTIVE

To distinguish mesotherapy from phosphatidylcholine injections by reviewing their history and the relevant experimental or clinical findings.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of Medline indexed literature and conference proceedings.

RESULTS

All the published studies evaluating the clinical efficacy of traditional mesotherapy currently originate from Europe. These reports focus primarily on musculoskeletal pain and vascular disease, rather than cosmetic applications. Although experimental data suggest that a number of traditional mesotherapy ingredients may theoretically reduce fat, these effects have not been supported in peer-reviewed studies. An increasing number of reports demonstrate that subcutaneous injections of a formula containing phosphatidylcholine combined with its emulsifier, deoxycholate, are effective in removing small collections of adipose tissue. Cell lysis, resulting from the detergent action of deoxycholate, may account for this clinical effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Mesotherapy is distinct from a method of treating adipose tissue with subcutaneous injections of deoxycholate alone or in combination with phosphatidylcholine. Additional clinical and experimental studies are necessary to more definitively establish the safety and efficacy of these treatments.

Dietary safflower phospholipid reduces liver lipids in laying hens

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary safflower phospholipids (crude safflower phospholipid and purified safflower phospholipid) on performance and lipid metabolism of laying hens. Sixty-week-old Single Comb White Leghorn laying hens were divided into four groups of seven birds each, and were given one of four experimental diets containing 5% beef tallow (served as a control, tallow), a mixture of safflower oil and palm oil (SP-oil), crude safflower phospholipid (Saf-PLcrude), or purified safflower phospholipid (Saf-PL) for 7 wk. Egg production ratio and daily egg mass were significantly higher in hens fed Saf-PLcrude diets than in hens of the other diet groups. There were no significant differences in egg weight among groups. Liver cholesterol and triglyceride contents were significantly decreased in all treated groups as compared with the control. The activity of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3 methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase was the highest in hens fed the Saf-PLcrude diet. Serum esterified cholesterol concentration was decreased by feeding of SP-oil, Saf-PLcrude, or Saf-PL diets. Serum lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity was highest in hens fed the tallow diet. Excreta neutral steroid excretion was significantly increased in the Saf-PLcrude or Saf-PL diet groups, although acidic steroid excretion was not affected by dietary treatments. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and phospholipid contents in egg yolks were not different for any dietary treatments. The fatty acid compositions of egg yolks from hens fed Saf-PLcrude diets were not different with those fed the SP-oil diet, although eggs of hens fed the Saf-PL diet showed lower total polyunsaturated fatty acids. These results suggest that dietary safflower phospholipids may be a valuable ingredient to layers for reducing liver triglycerides and serum cholesterol without any adverse effects.

Influence of dietary egg and soybean phospholipids and triacylglycerols on human serum lipoproteins

Human serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and compositions were compared in ten healthy middle-aged men consuming phospholipids from egg or from soybean or triacylglycerol mixtures with fatty acid compositions similar to that of the phospholipids. All subjects followed each of the four treatments: egg phospholipids (EP), soybean phospholipids (SP), an oil of fatty acid composition similar to that of EP, and an oil similar in fatty acid composition to SP for six weeks with "wash-out" periods of similar duration between treatment periods. The phospholipids, 15 g/d, and the oils, 12 g/d, which contained approximately equivalent quantities of fatty acids were provided to the subjects in gelatin capsules and were taken before meals. Diet intake was monitored by three-day food records. Serum lipoproteins (Lp) were separated by ultracentrifugation into very low density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL)2 and HDL3. Lp fractions and whole serum were analyzed for triacylglycerols, cholesterol (CH), phospholipids (PL), and protein. HDL cholesterol was determined in whole serum. Cholesteryl esters were determined in some Lp fractions. Lipid compositions of Lp were expressed in mmol/g protein. Apoprotein B was measured in whole serum and in LDL; apoprotein A-I in whole serum and in HDL3. In whole serum, CH and PL were significantly lower after the SP compared to EP treatment periods. CH, but not PL, was lower after SPTG compared to EP. CH in HDL2 was significantly higher after SP compared to SPTG. Also, PL in HDL2 were significantly higher after SP compared to all other treatments and to baseline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Platelet activation in normo- and hyperlipoproteinemias

In the last few years it became obvious that platelets are involved in the development of atherosclerotic diseases. This involvement of platelets has been taken into account in the "response to injury" hypothesis of atherosclerosis. The hypothesis is based on the assumption that atherosclerotic lesions result from endothelial injury, followed by the interaction of vessel wall constituents with lipoproteins, macrophages, and platelets. In the first part of this review, general aspects of platelet activation are summarized and the pathways of platelet aggregation as well as their involvement in blood coagulation are discussed. The second part of this paper describes the influence of cholesterol, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins upon the activation and metabolic behavior of platelets. Physiological and pathophysiological processes particularly occurring in different types of hyperlipoproteinemias and atherosclerotic disorders are discussed in this context.