Chemistry of Lipids
Definisi
- Lipids / lemak adalah komponen organik yang dibentuk terutama dari kombinasi alkohol dan asam lemak terikat dalam bentuk ester
- lemak tidak larut dalam air, tetapi larut dlm pelarut organik (ether, chloroform, benzene, acetone).
- Lipid/lemak termasuk asam lemak, minyak dan komponen yg berhubungan
- Terdistribusi luas di alam pada tanaman dan hewan
Konstanta analitik
•Specific Gravity
Rasio dari berat lemak terhadap air pada temperatur yg sama atau spesifik. Mengukur dg menggunakan
piknometer. Metoda resmi pd suhu 25ĀŗC Karakteristik
lemak .
minyak kelapa spesifik gr.
0.926 pd 15ĀŗC, 0.9188 pd 25ĀŗC.
•Index of Refraction
Bila chy melewati pd sudut dr satu media
ke media
lain, mk arah akan berubah pd permukaan kedua media adalah rasio dari sinus
sudut dtg/insiden dan sinus
sudut refraksi/bias.
•Titik leleh
(melting point)
gliserida solid
mempunyai titik leleh yg berbeda.
ANALYTICAL METHODS TO MEASURE THE CONSTANTS OF FATS AND OILS
1. Acid Value
Number of mgs of KOH required to neutralize the Free Fatty
Acids in 1 g of fat.
2. Saponification Value
Saponification - hydrolysis of ester under alkaline condition
Saponification Value of
Fats and Oils
Saponification Value Determination
Saponification # --mgs
of KOH required to saponify 1 g of fat.
1. 5 g in 250 ml Erlenmeyer.
2. 50 ml KOH in
Erlenmeyer.
3. Boil for saponification.
4. Titrate with HCl using
phenolphthalein.
5. Conduct
blank determination.
B - ml of HCl required by Blank.
S - ml of HCl required by Sample.
3. Iodine Value
Number of
iodine (g) absorbed by 100 g of oil.
Molecular
weight and iodine number can calculate the number of double bonds. 1 g of fat adsorbed 1.5 g of iodine value = 150.
Iodine
Value Determination
Iodine
Value = (ml of Na2S2O3 volume
for blank - ml of Na2S2O3 volume
for sample) N of Na2S2O3 ´ 0.127g/meq ´ 100
Weight of Sample (g)
Excess unreacted ICl
Iodine
Numbers of Triglycerides
Fatty Acids |
of Double-bonds |
Iodine |
Palmitoleic Acid |
1 |
95 |
Oleic Acid |
1 |
86 |
Linoleic Acid |
2 |
173 |
Linolenic Acid |
3 |
261 |
Arachidonic Acid |
4 |
320 |
Compositions
(%) of Fatty Acids of Fats
Fat |
C4 |
C6 |
C10 |
C16 |
C18 |
C18:1 |
C18:2 |
C18:3 |
C20:4 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
20 |
40 |
|
|
30 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
20 |
35 |
40 |
5 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
10 |
50 |
|
40 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
20 |
40 |
40 |
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
10 |
20 |
20 |
10 |
20 |
20 |
|
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 |
4. GC Analysis for Fatty Acids
- 1. Extract fat.
- 2. Saponify (hydrolysis under basic condition).
- 3. Prepare methyl ester (CH3ONa).
- 4. Chromatography methyl ester.
- 5. Determine peak areas of fatty acids. Fatty acids are identified by retention time.
- 6. Compare with response curve of standard.
Fatty
Acids Methyl Esters:
GC
condition: 10% DEGS Column (from supelco) Column temperature 200C.
5. TRIGLYCERIDE ANALYSIS BY LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY
- Soybean
Oil
- Solvent CH3CN/HF
- Column 84346 (Waters Associates)
Oleate-containing
triglycerides in olive oil
Fatty Acid Composition |
Total Acyl Carbons:Unsaturation |
Equivalent Carbon Number |
|
|
|
OL2 |
54:5 |
44 |
02L |
54:4 |
46 |
OPL |
52:3 |
46 |
O3 |
54:3 |
48 |
OSL |
54:3 |
48 |
O2P |
52:2 |
48 |
O2S |
54:2 |
50 |
OPS |
52:1 |
50 |
OS2 |
54:1 |
52 |
6.CHOLESTEROL DETERMINATION
Enzymatic
Determination: Cholesterol Oxidase
Spectromertic Absorption Standard Curve of Cholesterol
Cholesterol
by GLC
1. Prepare cholesterol butyrate.
2. Analyze by GLC.
time in GC - 15 min.
sensitivity - 10-7 g.
LIPID
CONTENT ANALYSES
1. Gravimetric Method
(1) Wet extraction - Roese Gottliegb & Mojonnier.
For
Milk:
1) 10 g milk + 1.25 ml NH4OH mix. Solubilizes protein
and neutralizes.
2) + 10 ml EtOH - shake. Begins extraction, prevents gelation of
proteins.
3) + 25 ml Et2O - shake and mix.
4) + 25 ml petroleum ether, mix and
shake.
(2) Dry extraction - Soxhlet Method.
Sample in
thimble is continuously extracted with ether using Soxhlet
condenser.
After extraction, direct
measurement of fat
-
evaporate ether and weigh the flask.
Indirect
measurement - dry thimble and weigh thimble and sample.
Soxhlet Method
2. Volumetric Methods (Babcock, Gerber Methods)
Theory:
1.Treat
sample with H2SO4 or detergent.
2.Centrifuge
to separate fat layer.
3.Measure
the fat content using specially calibrated bottles.
Methods:
1. Known weight sample.
2. H2SO4 - digest
protein, liquefy fat.
3. Add H2O so that fat
will be in graduated part of bottle.
4. centrifuge to separate
fat from other materials completely.
Biological Importance of Lipids:
1.They are more palatable and
storable to unlimited amount compared to carbohydrates.
2.They have a high-energy
value (25% of body needs) and they provide more energy pergram than
carbohydrates and proteins but carbohydrates are the preferable source of
energy.
3.Supply the essential fatty
acids that cannot be synthesized by the body.
4.Supply the body with
fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).
5.They are important
constituents of the nervous system.
6.Tissue fat is an essential
constituent of cell membrane and nervous system. It is mainly phospholipids in
nature that are not affected by starvation.
7-Stored lipids “depot fat” disimpan dalam semua sel manusia yg berperan sebagai:
- Simpanan energi.
- Lemak/bantalan utk organ internal utk melindungi dari outside shocks.
- Insulator panas dari subcutaneous terhdp kehilangan panas tubuh
8-Lipoproteins, kompleks lemak dan protein, konstituen sellular penting yg ada pd membran
sellular dan subsellular
9-Cholesterol masuk dalam struktur membran dan digunakan utk sintesis adrenal cortical
hormones,
vitamin D3 and bile acids.
10- Lipids provide bases for dealing with diseases such as obesity, atherosclerosis, lipid-
storage diseases,
essential fatty acid deficiency, respiratory distress syndrome,
Classification of Lipids
- Simple lipids (Fats &
Waxes)
- Compound or conjugated
lipids
- Derived Lipids
- Lipid-associating substances
Fatty
alcohols
1-Glycerol:
- It is a trihydric alcohol (i.e., containing
three OH groups) and has the popular name glycerin.
- It is synthesized in the
body from glucose.
- It has the following
properties:
- Colorless viscous oily
liquid with sweet taste.
- On heating with sulfuric
acid or KHSO4 (dehydration) it gives acrolein that has
a bad odor. This reaction is used for detection of free glycerol or any
compound containing glycerol.
3-It combines with three
molecules of nitric acid to form trinitroglycerin (TNT) that is used as explosive and vasodilator.
4-On esterification with fatty acids it gives:
•Monoglyceride or monoacyl-glycerol: one fatty acid + glycerol.
•Diglyceride or diacyl-glycerol: two fatty acids +
glycerol.
•Triglyceride or triacyl-glycerol: three fatty acids +
glycerol.
5-It has a nutritive value
by conversion into glucose and enters in structure of phospholipids.
Uses of
Glycerol:
1.Glycerol enters in
pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations.
2.Reduces brain edema in cerebrovascular disease.
3.Nitroglycerin is used as
vasodilator especially for the coronary arteries, thus it is used in treatment
of angina pectoris. Also, enters in explosives manufacturing.
4.Glycerol is used in
treatment of glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure)due to its ability to
dehydrate the tissue from its water content.
2-Sphingosine:
- - It is the
alcohol(monohydric) present in sphingolipids.
- - It is synthesized in the
body from serine and palmitic acid.
- - It is not positive with acrolein test.
Fatty Acids
Definition:
- Fatty acids are aliphatic
mono-carboxylic acids that are mostly obtained from the hydrolysis of natural
fats and oils.
- Have the general formula R-(CH2)n-COOH and mostly have straight chain (a few exceptions have branched
and heterocyclic chains). In this
formula "n" is mostly an even
number of carbon atoms (2-34) with a few exceptions that
have an odd number.
- Fatty acids are classified according to
several bases as follows:
I. According to presence or
absence of double bonds they are classified into:
- A-Saturated
Fatty Acids
- they contain no double bonds with 2-24 or more carbons.
- They are solid at room
temperature except if they are short chained.
- They may be even or odd
numbered.
- They have the following
molecular formula, CnH2n+1COOH.
Saturated fatty acids (no
double )
A-Short
chain Saturated F.A. (2-10
carbon).
a-Short chain Saturated volatile F.A.(2-6 carbon).
b- Short chain Saturated non volatile F.A.(7-10 carbon).
B-Long
chain Saturated F.A.(more the10
carbon)
a-Volatile short-chain fatty
acids:
- They are
liquid in nature and contain (1-6) carbon
atoms.
- water-soluble and volatile at room temperature, e.g., acetic, butyric, and caproic acids.
- Acetic F.A. (2C ) CH3-COOH.
- Butyric F.A. (4C ) CH3-(CH2)2-COOH.
- Caproic F.A. (6C ) CH3-(CH2)4-COOH.
b-Non-volatile
short-chain fatty acids:
- They are
solids at room temperature and contain 7-10 carbon atoms.
- They are
water-soluble and non-volatile at room temperature include caprylic and capric F.A.
- Caprylic (8 C ) CH3-(CH2)6-COOH.
- Capric (10 C ) CH3-(CH2)8-COOH.
B-Long-chain fatty acids:
- They contain more than 10
carbon atoms.
- They occur in hydrogenated
oils, animal fats, butter and coconut and palm oils.
- They are non-volatile and
water-insoluble
- Include palmitic, stearic, and lignoceric F.A.
- palmitic(16C) CH3-(CH2)14-COOH
- stearic (18 C ) CH3-(CH2)16-COOH
- lignoceric (24C ) CH3-(CH2)22-COOH
B-Unsaturated
Fatty Acids
They contain double bond
they contain one double
bonds .
(CnH2n-1 COOH)
they contain more the one
double bond (CnH2n-more than 1 COOH).
1-Monounsaturated fatty acids:
1-Palmitoleic
acid :
- It is found in all fats.
- It is C16:1∆9, i.e.,
has 16 carbons and one double bond located at carbon number 9 and involving
carbon 10.
CH3-( CH2 )5CH
= CH-(CH2)7 –COOH
2-Oleic
acid
- Is the most
common fatty acid in natural fats.
- It is C18:1∆9, i.e., has 18 carbons and one double
bond located at carbon number 9 and involving carbon 10.
CH3-(CH2)7- CH=CH – (CH2)7-COOH
3-Nervonic
acid
(Unsaturated lignoceric acid).
- It is found in cerebrosides.
- It is C24:1D15, i.e., has 24 carbons and
one double bond located at carbon number 15 and involving carbon 16.
CH3 – (CH2)7 CH= CH – (CH2)13- COOH
2-Polyunsaturated fatty acids :
(Essential fatty acids):
- Definition:
- They are essential fatty
acids that can not be synthesized in the human body and must
be taken in adequate amounts in the diet.
- They are required for normal
growth and metabolism
- Source: vegetable oils such as corn oil, linseed oil, peanut oil,
olive oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil and many other plant oils, cod liver oil
and animal fats.
- Deficiency: Their deficiency in the diet leads to nutrition deficiency disease.
- Its symptoms include: poor growth and health with susceptibility to
infections, dermatitis, decreased capacity to reproduce, impaired transport of
lipids, fatty liver, and lowered resistance to stress.
•Function of Essential Fatty
Acids:
- They are useful in the
treatment of atherosclerosis by help transporting blood
cholesterol and lowering it and transporting triglycerides.
- The hormones are synthesized
from them.
- They enter in structure of
all cellular and subcellular membranes and the
transporting plasma phospholipids.
- They are essential for skin
integrity, normal growth and reproduction.
- They have an important role
in blood clotting (intrinsic factor).
- Important in preventing and treating fatty liver.
- Important role in health of
the retina and vision.
- They can be oxidized for energy production.
1-Linoleic:
- C18:2D9, 12.
- It is the most important
since other essential fatty acids can be synthesized from it in the body.
CH3-(CH2)4-CH = CH-CH2-CH=CH-(CH2)7-COOH
2-Linolenic acid:
- C18:3D9, 12, 15,
- in corn, linseed, peanut,
olive, cottonseed and soybean oils.
CH3-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-(CH2)7-COOH
3-Arachidonic acid:
- C20:4D5, 8, 11, 14.
- It is an important
component of phospholipids in animal and in peanut oil from which
prostaglandins are synthesized.
CH3-(CH2)4-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-(CH2)3-COOH
1-Simple Lipids
A-Neutral
Fats and oils
(Triglycerides)
Definition:
- They are
called neutral because they are uncharged due to absence of ionizable groups in
it.
- The
neutral fats are the most abundant lipids in nature. They constitute about 98%
of the lipids of adipose tissue, 30% of plasma or liver lipids, less than 10%
of erythrocyte lipids.
- They are
esters of glycerol with various fatty acids.
Since the 3 hydroxyl groups of glycerol are esterified, the
neutral fats are also called “Triglycerides”.
- Esterification of glycerol with one molecule of fatty
acid gives monoglyceride, and that
with 2 molecules gives diglyceride.
Types of
triglycerides
- Simple
triglycerides: If the
three fatty acids connected to glycerol are of the same type the triglyceride
is called simple triglyceride, e.g., tripalmitin.
- Mixed
triglycerides: if they
are of different types, it is called mixed triglycerides, e.g., stearo-diolein and palmito-oleo-stearin.
- Natural
fats are mixtures of mixed triglycerides with a small amount of simple
triglycerides.
- The
commonest fatty acids in animal fats are palmitic, stearic and oleic acids.
- The main
difference between fats and oils is for oils being liquid at room temperature, whereas, fats are solids.
- This is
mainly due to presence of larger percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in oils than fats that has mostly saturated fatty
acids.
Physical properties of fat
and oils:
- Freshly prepared fats and
oils are colorless, odorless and tasteless.Any color, or
taste is due to association with other foreign substances, e.g., the yellow
color of body fat or milk fat is due to carotene pigments(cow milk).
- Fats have specific gravity
less than 1 and, therefore, they float on water.
- Fats are insoluble in water,
but soluble in organic solvents as ether and benzene.
- Melting points of fats are
usually low, but higher than the solidification point,
Chemical
Properties of fats and oils:
1-Hydrolysis:
- They are
hydrolyzed into their constituents (fatty acids and glycerol) by the action of super heated steam, acid,
alkali or enzyme (e.g., lipase of pancreas).
- During
their enzymatic and acid hydrolysis glycerol and free fatty acids are produced.
2-Saponification.
Alkaline
hydrolysis produces glycerol and salts of fatty acids (soaps).
- Soaps cause
emulsification of oily material this help easy washing of the fatty materials
Saponification
number (or value):
- Definition: It is the number of milligrams of KOH required to completely saponify one gram of fat.
- Uses:
- Since each
carboxyl group of a fatty acid reacts with one mole of KOH during saponification,
therefore, the amount of alkali needed
to saponify certain weight of fat
depends upon the number of fatty acids present per weight.
- Thus, fats
containing short-chain acids will have more carboxyl groups per gram than long
chain fatty acids and consume more alkali, i.e., will have higher saponification number.
3-Halogenation
- Neutral
fats containing unsaturated fatty acids have the ability of adding halogens
(e.g., hydrogen or hydrogenation and iodine or iodination) at the double bonds.
- It is a
very important property to determine the degree of unsaturation of the fat
or oil that determines its biological value
1-Iodine number (or value):
- Definition: It is the number of grams of iodine absorbed by 100 grams of fat or oil.
- Uses: It is a measure for the
degree of unsaturation of the fat, as a natural
property for it.
- Unsaturated fatty acids
absorb iodine at their double bonds, therefore, as the degree of unsaturation increases iodine number and hence biological value
of the fat increase.
- It is used for
identification of the type of fat, detection of adulteration and
determining the biological value of fat.
4-Hydrogenation
or hardening of oils:
- It is a
type of addition reactions accepting hydrogen at the double bonds of
unsaturated fatty acids.
- The
hydrogenation is done under high pressure of hydrogen and is catalyzed by
finely divided nickel or copper and heat.
- It is the
base of hardening of oils (margarine
manufacturing), e.g.,
change of oleic acid of fats (liquid) into stearic acid (solid).
- It is advisable not to
saturate all double bonds; otherwise margarine produced will be very hard, of
very low biological value and difficult to digest.
Advantages
for hydrogenated oil or
fat are as follows:
1.It is more
pleasant as cooking fat.
2.It is
digestible and utilizable as normal animal fats and oils.
3.It is less
liable to cause gastric or intestinal irritation.
4.It is
easily stored and transported and less liable to rancidity.
Disadvantages of
hydrogenated
fats
include lack of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and essential fatty acids
5-Oxidation(Rancidty)
- This toxic reaction of triglycerides
leads to unpleasant odour or taste of oils and fats developing after oxidation
by oxygen of air, bacteria, or moisture.
- Also this is the base of the
drying oils after exposure to atmospheric oxygen.
Example is linseed oil, which is used in paints and varnishes manufacturing
Rancidity
Definition:
•It is a physico-chemical
change in the natural properties of the fat leading to the development of unpleasant odor or taste or
abnormal color particularly on aging after exposure to atmospheric oxygen, light,
moisture, bacterial or fungal contamination and/or heat.
• Saturated
fats resist rancidity more than unsaturated fats that have unsaturated double
bonds.
Types and causes of Rancidity:
1.Hydrolytic
rancidity
2.Oxidative
rancidity
3.Ketonic rancidity
1-Hydrolytic rancidity:
• It results from slight hydrolysis of the fat
by lipase from bacterial contamination leading to the liberation of free fatty
acids and glycerol at high temperature and moisture.
• Volatile
short-chain fatty acids have unpleasant odor.
2-Oxidative Rancidity:
•It is
oxidation of fat or oil catalyzed by exposure to oxygen, light and/or heat
producing peroxide derivatives which on decomposition give substances, e.g., peroxides, aldehydes, ketones and dicarboxylic acids that are toxic and
have bad odor.
•This occurs
due to oxidative addition of oxygen at the unsaturated double bond of
unsaturated fatty acid of oils.
3-Ketonic Rancidity:
•It is due
to the contamination with certain fungi such as Asperigillus Niger on
fats such as coconut oil.
• Ketones, fatty aldehydes, short
chain fatty acids and fatty alcohols are formed.
•Moisture
accelerates ketonic rancidity.
•Prevention of rancidity is achieved by:
1.Avoidance
of the causes (exposure
to light, oxygen, moisture, high temperature and bacteria or fungal
contamination). By keeping fats or oils in well-closed
containers in cold, dark and dry place (i.e., good storage conditions).
2.Removal of
catalysts such as lead and copper that catalyze rancidity.
3.Addition of
anti-oxidants to prevent
peroxidation in fat
(i.e., rancidity). They include phenols,
naphthols, tannins
and hydroquinones. The most common natural
antioxidant is vitamin E that is important in vitro and in vivo.
Absorptive rancidity
•Ketengikan krn absorpsi.
•Banyak substansi yg sangat lrt dlm lemak
•Bila lemak terpapar dg bau/rs dr substansi tsb maka bau akan diabsorbsi
•Mentega atau lemak bila terpapar dgn bawang, cat,
gas atau buah akan mengabsorbsi
bau tsb sehingga tdk layak utk dikonsumsi
Hazards of Rancid Fats:
1.The
products of rancidity are toxic, i.e., causes food poisoning and cancer.
2.Rancidity
destroys the fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, K and E).
3.Rancidity
destroys the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids.
4.Rancidity
causes economical loss because rancid fat is inedible.
Analysis and
Identification of fats and oils
(Fat Constants)
•Fat
constants or numbers are tests used for:
1.Checking
the purity of fat for detection of adulteration.
2.To
quantitatively estimate certain properties of fat.
3.To identify
the biological value and natural characteristics of fat.
4.Detection
of fat rancidity and presence of toxic hydroxy fatty acids.
3-Acids Number (or value):
•Definition:
•It is the
number of milligrams of KOH required
to neutralize the free
fatty acids present in one gram of fat.
•Uses:
•It is used
for detection of hydrolytic rancidity because it measures the amount of free
fatty acids present.
4-Reichert- Meissl Number (or value):
•Definition: It is the
number of milliliters of 0.1 N KOH required to neutralize the water-soluble fatty acids distilled from 5 grams of fat.
Short-chain fatty acid (less than 10 carbons) is distillated by steam.
•Uses: This studies the natural composition of the
fat and is used for detection of fat adulteration.
• Butter that has high percentage of
short-chain fatty acids has highest Reichert-Meissl number compared to margarine.
5-Acetyl Number (or value):
•Definition: It is number of milligrams of KOH needed to
neutralize the acetic acid liberated from hydrolysis of 1 gram of acetylated fat (hydroxy fat
reacted with acetic anhydride).
•Uses: The natural or rancid fat that contains fatty
acids with free hydroxyl groups are converted into acetylated fat by reaction
with acetic anhydride.
• Thus,
acetyl number is a measure of number of hydroxyl groups present.
It is used for studying the natural properties
of the fat and to detect adulteration and rancidity.
B-Waxes
- Definition: Waxes are solid simple lipids containing a
monohydric alcohol (with a higher molecular weight than glycerol) esterified to
long-chain fatty acids. Examples of these alcohols are palmitoyl alcohol, cholesterol, vitamin A or D.
- Properties
of waxes: Waxes are
insoluble in water, but soluble in fat solvents and are negative for acrolein test.
- Waxes are
not easily hydrolyzed as the fats and are indigestible by lipases and are very
resistant to rancidity.
- Thus they
are of no nutritional value.
Type of Waxes:
- Waxes are widely distributed in nature such
as the secretion of certain insects as bees-wax, protective coatings of the
skins and furs of animals and leaves and fruits of plants. They are classified
into true-waxes and wax-like compounds as follows:
A-True waxes:
include:
- Bees-wax is secreted by the honeybees that use it to
form the combs. It is a mixture of waxes
with the chief constituent is mericyl palmitate.
B-Wax-like compounds:
•Cholesterol
esters: Lanolin (or
wool fat) is prepared from the wool-associated skin glands and is secreted by
sebaceous glands of the skin.
•It is very
complex mixture, contains both free and esterified cholesterol, e.g., cholesterol-palmitate and other
sterols.
|
Waxes |
Neutral lipids |
1.Digestibility: |
Indigestible (not hydrolyzed by lipase). |
Digestible (hydrolyzed by lipase). |
2-Type of alcohol: |
Long-chain monohydric alcohol + one fatty acid. |
Glycerol (trihydric) + 3 fatty acids |
3-Type of fatty acids: |
Fatty acid mainly palmitic or stearic acid. |
Long and short chain fatty acids. |
4-Acrolein test: |
Negative. |
Positive. |
5-Rancidability: |
Never get rancid. |
Rancidible. |
6-Nature at room temperature. |
Hard solid. |
Soft solid or liquid. |
7-Saponification |
Nonsaponifiable. |
Saponifiable. |
8-Nutritive value: |
No nutritive value. |
Nutritive. |
9-Example: |
Bee & carnuba waxes. |
Butter and vegetable oils. |
2-Compound
Lipids
Definition:
- They are
lipids that contain additional substances, e.g., sulfur, phosphorus, amino
group, carbohydrate, or proteins beside fatty acid and alcohol.
- Compound or
conjugated lipids are classified into the following types according to the
nature of the additional group:
1.Phospholipids
2.Glycolipids.
3.Lipoproteins
4.Sulfolipids and amino lipids.
A-Phospholipids
Definition:
Phospholipids
or phosphatides are
compound lipids, which contain phosphoric acid group in their structure.
Importance:
- They are
present in large amounts in the liver and brain as well as blood. Every animal and plant cell contains
phospholipids.
- The
membranes bounding cells and subcellular organelles are composed mainly of phospholipids. Thus, the transfer of
substances through these membranes is controlled by properties of
phospholipids.
- They are
important components of the lipoprotein coat essential for secretion and
transport of plasma lipoprotein complexes. Thus, they are lipotropic agents
that prevent fatty liver.
- Myelin
sheath of nerves is rich with phospholipids.
- 5-Important
in digestion and absorption of neutral lipids and excretion of cholesterol in
the bile.
- Important
function in blood clotting and platelet aggregation.
- They
provide lung alveoli with surfactants
that prevent its irreversible collapse.
- Important
role in signal transduction across the cell membrane.
- Phospholipase
A2 in snake venom hydrolyses membrane phospholipids into hemolytic lysolecithin or lysocephalin.
- They are
source of polyunsaturated fatty acids for synthesis of eicosanoids.
Sources:
They are
found in all cells (plant and animal), milk and egg-yolk in the form of lecithins.
Structure:
phospholipids
are composed of:
1.Fatty acids (a
saturated and an unsaturated fatty acid).
2.Nitrogenous base (choline, serine, threonine, or
ethanolamine).
3.Phosphoric acid.
4.Fatty alcohols (glycerol,
inositol or sphingosine).
• Classification of Phospholipids are classified into 2 groups according to the
type of the alcohol present
into two types:
A-Glycerophospholipids: They are regarded as derivatives of phosphatidic acids that
are the simplest type of phospholipids and include:
1.Phosphatidic acids.
2.Lecithins
3.Cephalins.
4.Plasmalogens.
5.Inositides.
6.Cardiolipin.
B-Sphingophospholipids: They
contain sphingosine as an
alcohol and are named Sphingomyelins.
A-Glycerophospholipids
1-Phosphatidic
acids:They are
metabolic intermediates in synthesis of triglycerides and
glycerophospholipids in the
body and may have function as a second messenger.
They exist in two forms according to the position of the phosphate
2-Lecithins:
•Definition:
Lecithins are glycerophospholipids that
contain choline as a base
beside phosphatidic
acid. They exist in 2 forms a- and b-lecithins. Lecithins are a common cell constituent
obtained from
brain (a-type), egg yolk (b-type), or liver (both types). Lecithins are important
in the metabolism of fat by the
liver.
•Structure:
Glycerol is
connected at C2 or C3 with a polyunsaturated fatty acid, at C1 with a saturated
fatty acid, at C3 or C2 by phosphate to which the choline base is
connected. The common
fatty acids in lecithins are stearic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, clupandonic or
arachidonic acids.
Lysolecithin causes hemolysis of RBCs.
This partially explains toxic the effect of snake venom,. The venom contains lecithinase, which
hydrolyzes the polyunsaturated fatty converting lecithin into lysolecithin. Lysolecithins are
intermediates in metabolism of phospholipids.
•Lung surfactant
- Is a
complex of dipalmitoyl-lecithin, sphingomyelin and a
group of apoproteins called apoprotein A, B, C,
and D.
- It is
produced by type II alveolar cells and is anchored to the alveolar surface of
type II and I cells.
- It lowers
alveolar surface tension and improves gas exchange besides activating
macrophages to kill pathogens.
- In
premature babies, this surfactant is deficient and they suffer from respiratory
distress syndrome.
- Glucocorticoids increase
the synthesis of the surfactant complex and promote differentiation of lung
cells.
3-Cephalins (or Kephalins):
- Definition: They are phosphatidyl-ethanolamine or serine. Cephalins occur in
association with lecithins in tissues and are isolated from the brain (Kephale = head).
- Structure: Cephalins resemble lecithins in
structure except that choline is
replaced by ethanolamine, serine or threonine amino acids.
- Certain cephalins are
constituents of the complex mixture of phospholipids, cholesterol and fat that
constitute the lipid component of the lipoprotein “thromboplastin” which
accelerates the clotting of blood by activation of prothrombin to
thrombin in presence of calcium ions.
4-Plasmalogens:
- Definition: Plasmalogens are found in the cell membrane
phospholipids fraction of brain and muscle (10% of it is plasmalogens), liver,
semen and eggs.
- Structure: Plasmalogens resemble lecithins and cephalins in
structure but differ in the presence of a,b-unsaturated
fatty alcohol rather
than a fatty acid at C1 of the glycerol connected by ether bond.
- At C2
there is an unsaturated long-chain fatty acid, however, it may be a very
short-chain fatty acid
- Properties: Similar to lecithins.
5-Inositides:
- Definition:
- -They are phosphatidyl inositol.
- Structure: They are similar to lecithins or cephalins but they
have the cyclic sugar alcohol, inositol as the
base. They are formed of glycerol, one saturated fatty acid, one unsaturated
fatty acid, phosphoric acid and inositol
- Source: Brain tissues.
- Function:
- Phosphatidyl inositol is a major
component of cell membrane phospholipids particularly at the inner leaflet of
it.
- They play
a major role as second messengers during signal transduction for certain
hormone..
- On
hydrolysis by phospholipase C, phosphatidyl-inositol-4,5-diphosphate
produces diacyl-glycerol and inositol-triphosphate both act
to liberate calcium from its intracellular stores to mediate the hormone
effects.
6-Cardiolipins:
- Definition: They are diphosphatidyl-glycerol. They are found in the inner
membrane of mitochondria initially isolated from heart muscle (cardio). It is
formed of 3 molecules of glycerol, 4 fatty acids and 2 phosphate groups.
- Function: Used in
serological diagnosis of autoimmunity diseases.
B-Sphingophospholipids
1-Sphingomyelins
- Definition: Sphingomyelins are found
in large amounts in brain and nerves and in smaller amounts in lung, spleen,
kidney, liver and blood.
- Structure: Sphingomyelins differ
from lecithins and cephalins in that
they contain sphingosine as the
alcohol instead of glycerol, they contain two nitrogenous bases: sphingosine itself and
choline.
- Thus, sphingomyelins contain sphingosine base, one
long-chain fatty acid, choline and
phosphoric acid.
- To the
amino group of sphingosine the fatty acid is attached by an amide linkage.
- Ceramide This part of sphingomyelin in which
the amino group of sphingosine is attached to the fatty acid by an amide linkage.
- Ceramides have been
found in the free state in the spleen, liver and red cells.
B-Glycolipids
- Definition: They are lipids that contain carbohydrate
residues with sphingosine as the alcohol and a very long-chain fatty acid (24 carbon series).
- They are
present in cerebral tissue, therefore are called cerebrosides
- Classification: According to the number and nature of the
carbohydrate residue(s) present in the glycolipids the following are
- Cerebrosides. They have one galactose molecule (galactosides).
- Sulfatides. They are cerebrosides with sulfate on the sugar (sulfated cerebrosides).
- Gangliosides. They have several sugar and sugaramine residues.
1-Cerebrosides:
- Occurrence: They occur in myelin
sheath of nerves and white matter of the brain tissues and cellular
membranes. They are important for nerve
conductance.
- Structure: They contain sugar,
usually b-galactose and may be glucose or
lactose, sphingosine and fatty acid, but no
phosphoric acid.
•Types: According
to the type of fatty acid and carbohydrate present, there are 4 different types
of cerebrosides isolated
from the white matter of cerebrum and in myelin sheaths of nerves. Rabbit cerebrosides contain stearic acid.
- Kerasin contains lignoceric acid (24 carbons) and galactose.
- Cerebron (Phrenosin) contains cerebronic acid
(2-hydroxylignoceric acid) and galactose.
- Nervon contains nervonic acid (unsaturated lignoceric acid at
C15) and galactose.
- Oxynervon contains oxynervonic acid (2-hydroxynervonic acid) and galactose.
2-Sulfatides:
•They are
sulfate esters of kerasin or phrenosin in which
the sulfate group is usually attached to the –OH group of C3 or C6 of galactose. Sulfatides are
usually present in the brain, liver, muscles and testes.