Lipids containing isoricinoleoyl (9-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoyl) moieties in seeds ofWrightia species

Effect of oxidized phosphatidylcholine on biomarkers of oxidative stress in rats

In this study it was planned to investigate the effect of oxidized phosphatidylcholine (derived from egg) feeding on lipid peroxidation of different tissues in rats. Male Wistar albino rats were fed oxidized and unoxidized phosphatidylcholine for 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. During the period of study food intake and body weights of animals increased gradually. Animals fed oxidized phosphatidylcholine for 2 and 4 weeks showed 33 and 15% spontaneous hemolysis of red blood cells in vitro. Under identical experimental conditions animals given unoxidized phosphatidylcholine showed 14.5 and 13.4% hemolysis for 2 and 4 week's period, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level in thymus, spleen, kidney, heart, liver and lung significantly increased in rats given oxidized phosphatidylcholine as compared to unoxidized group. Furthermore, in oxidized phosphatidylcholine group TBARS values in kidney, liver and lungs continued to rise for 4 weeks of treatment while TBARS level in heart, spleen and thymus was found to be decreased at the end of 4 weeks of oxidized phosphatidylcholine feeding. Plasma triacylglycerol and cholesterol was found to increase in rats who had received oxidized phosphatidylcholine for 2 weeks. These findings suggest that excess and persistent intake of oxidized phosphatidylcholine can cause significant damage to organs.

Lipid analysis of Coffea arabica Linn. beans and their possible hypercholesterolemic effects

Lipid composition of green Coffea arabica beans is reported with special emphasis on fatty acid composition. Triacylglycerols were found to be the major lipid constituents of the coffee oil along with sterol esters, sterols/triterpene alcohol, hydrocarbons and the hydrolyzed products of triacylglycerols as the minor components. Fatty acid composition of total oil, neutral lipids, polar lipids and pure triacylglycerols showed the presence of fatty acids of C14, C16, C18, and C20 carbon chains. Palmitic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids and comprise about 38.7 and 35.9% respectively. Pancreatic lipase hydrolysis revealed that the linoleoyl and palmitoyl moieties are preferentially esterified at the Sn-2 and Sn-1,3 positions of triacylglycerols respectively. The presence of high amounts of palmitic acid at Sn-1,3 position in coffee oil may be partly responsible for its hypercholesterolemic effects.