Physiological activities and applications of lecithin_Industrial additives

Overview^[1]

Lecithin, also known as phosphatidylcholine, is known as the “third nutrient” after protein and vitamins. It is the material basis of life and the basic raw material for various membrane structures of cells. Industrial additives exist in every cell, and are more concentrated in the liver, brain, heart, kidney and immune system. It is synthesized by the liver in the human body and mainly exists in food. In soybeans and egg yolks. Lecithin in English means “egg yolk”. Lecithin is an important anti-aging substance. It can regulate blood lipids to prevent vascular sclerosis, protect the liver, prevent Alzheimer’s disease, strengthen the brain and improve intelligence, prevent and resolve the formation of gallstones, increase the activity of cellular superoxide dismutase (SOD), enhance the ability of cells to scavenge free radicals, and reduce It produces lipid peroxide and can decompose toxins in the body. Because it is hydrophilic, it can enhance the function of hemoglobin to make the skin smooth and soft. The inositol contained in it is a basic element of skin and hair health care and can promote blood circulation. Promotes hair regeneration and inhibits hair graying. It is worthy of being an anti-aging guardian.

Physiological activity^[2]

(1) Participate in cell membrane composition and improve lipid metabolism. Lecithin is the main component of biological membranes. Ingestion of lecithin can improve membrane phospholipid components, increase membrane fluidity and membrane enzyme activity. If there are too many saturated fatty acids in the fatty acid part of membrane phospholipids, the membrane will become stiff, but PC can change the saturated fatty acids of membrane phospholipids into unsaturated fatty acids, thus increasing the fluidity of the cell membrane. In addition, PC can promote the synthesis and regeneration of lipoproteins, protect the mitochondria and microsomal membranes of cells from damage, prevent the membrane structure from stabilizing cell degeneration and promote recovery, prevent intracellular enzymes from escaping to the outside of the cell, and maintain the activity of intracellular enzymes. , improve lipid metabolism abnormalities caused by illness, thereby improving various functions such as glucose metabolism and protein metabolism.

(2) As an antioxidant, it delays the aging of the body. Lecithin’s resistance to oil oxidation has been used in oil production. Tests have shown that lecithin with a content of more than 0.2% in oil can significantly improve the antioxidant effect of rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, fish oil, etc., while artificial lecithin has very low antioxidant activity in the presence of copper, iron, manganese and other ions. high. It is precisely because lecithin has antioxidant functions that it can repair damaged biofilms and delay the aging of the body. It is reported that as age increases, the body’s ability to scavenge free radicals decreases. Excessive free radicals interact with free or combined unsaturated fatty acids, causing them to continuously form lipids in the form of chain or branched chain reactions. Peroxide MDA, MDA is an extremely active cross-linking agent. It quickly cross-links with phosphatidylethanolamine to form a fluorescent pigment, and then combines with proteins, peptides, and lipids to form lamellar lipofuscin, which can compress the cell nucleus and organelles. Deformation affects the normal metabolic transmission function of neurons. Lecithin has obvious effects on maintaining the stability of the moisture content of the skin’s stratum corneum and inhibiting the formation of lipofuscin in keratinocytes.

(3) Choline supply source. Choline is a type of ammonium compound widely distributed in animals and plants. It has a variety of biological functions and is an essential nutrient for the human body. PC, the main component of lecithin, is more suitable for absorption as organic choline. According to experiments, 1 hour after ingesting PC, the concentration of choline in the blood can be 2.7 times that before ingestion. The blood can still maintain a high concentration of choline after 12 hours. Therefore, ingesting PC can increase the level of choline in the blood.

(4) Arachidonic acid supply source. AA belongs to the ω-6 series of essential fatty acids, which is closely related to the maintenance of biological functions of cell membranes. It is also the precursor of endogenous cell regulatory factors and has functions such as lowering serum cholesterol, protecting the liver, and inhibiting cancer cells. Egg yolk lecithin contains a certain amount of unsaturated fatty acids such as DHA, so it can provide the AA needed by patients with liver disease, infants and young children.

(5) Promote nerve conduction and improve brain vitality. Choline released after digestion of lecithin in food reacts with acetyl COA under the action of choline acetyltransferase to generate acetylcholine. Increased acetylcholine content can promote the rapid development of brain synapses, thereby increasing the speed of information transmission between nerve cells in the brain. Speed ​​up, improve memory and learning ability. In addition, lecithin can also treat various neuroses and contribute to the recovery of epilepsy and dementia. In addition to the above functions, lecithin also has immunomodulatory and anti-tumor functions.

Apply^[2]

1. Application of lecithin in food industry

Lecithin can be used in the food industry as an emulsifier, flavoring agent and a new type of health food. The development of infants and young children is in great need of AA and DHA, but they lack the enzymes to synthesize them. Therefore, they cannot dehydrogenate linoleic acid and extend the carbon chain to synthesize the required AA, so they can only be ingested from outside the body. Since the AA and DHA levels of egg yolk lecithin are close to those of breast milk and the fatty acid balance is high, it is very effective to use egg yolk lecithin as raw material to make infant milk powder. In addition, lecithin is mixed with VE, vegetable oils, vitamins, etc. and sealed into gelatin soft capsules to make a tonic, which has high nutritional value.

2. Application of lecithin in the pharmaceutical industry

Lecithin can be used as an emulsifier in fat injections, and can also be used with other materials to make liposomes. Liposomes can deliver drugs directly to diseased parts, such as egg yolk lecithin and dimyristoyl phospholipid. Liposomes formed in a certain molar ratio such as acylglycerol can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, while certain carbon chain lecithins such as decasilylhexaalkylphosphatidylcholine have direct anti-cancer activity. In addition, lipid emulsions such as prostaglandin preparations, which account for 80% of pharmaceutical demand, have the advantages of targeting fat-soluble drugs and reducing side effects, which can improve stability. Lecithin can also be used as a raw material for the synthesis of other drugs.

3. Application of lecithin in animal husbandry

Domestic and foreign studies have shown that due to insufficient bile secretion within 14 days after weaning, piglets have a weak ability to emulsify fat. Adding phospholipids to their feed can improve the digestibility of dietary crude protein and energy, reduce diarrhea, and improve weight gain. and feed conversion ratio. In addition, phospholipids also need to be added to the feed during different growth stages of fish and shrimp. Japanese scientists pointed out that 0.5% to 1% phospholipid in the diet is necessary for the growth and survival of juvenile shrimp. In addition to the above-mentioned industries, lecithin can also be used in many aspects such as the cosmetics industry, textile industry, and agriculture.