Phospholipids of marine origin. I.—The hake (<i>Merlucius capensis</i>, castelnau)

Abstract

Abstract The composition of hake flesh and hake liver phospholipids was determined by an hydrolytic procedure and by chromatography on silicic acid. The hydrolytic procedure involved determination of lecithin‐choline, sphingornyelin‐choline, lyso lecithin‐choline, ethanolamine, serine, myo‐inositol and the average equivalent weight of the liberated fatty acids. The composition of the flesh and liver phospholipids was very similar, the latter contained more sphingomyelins and cardiolipins at the expense of phosphatidyl choline. Phospholipid fatty acids had a markedly higher equivalent weight and unsaturation than the corresponding non‐phosphorylated lipid fatty acids. The cephalin fractions contained more long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, more stearic acid and less palmitic acid than the phosphatidyl choline fractions. Sphingomyelins were particularly rich in lignoceric and nervonic acid.