Radioactivity incorporation into different cerebral phospholipids after oral administration of 14C methyl CDP-choline.

Abstract

Oral administration of 14C methyl CDP-choline in Sprague-Dawley rats provided the following data: --Radioactivity from cytidine diphosphate choline (CDP-choline, citicoline, Somazina) is found in the brain at a high rate. --62.8% of total radioactivity measured in the brain is found as a part of phospholipids. --This radioactivity is detected by the labelling of phosphatidyl-choline and endogenous sphingomyelin from CDP-choline. This suggests that CDP-choline by oral administration has effects on the synthesis of basic phospholipids being essential for the structure and function of the cellular membrane.