Plasma Removal of Intravenous Essential Phospholipids in Man

Essential phospholipids intravenously injected in man (n = 20) caused a rapid increase of the plasma lipid phosphorus to 108% (p < 0,001) within the first 2 minutes, followed by a decrease to the control level within the subsequent 10 minutes. Simultaneously, the percentage of linoleic acid in plasma lecithins was enlarged during the first two minutes, but remained increased (p < 0.05) for at least 40 minutes. The increase of linoleic acid was similar in the lecithins of different plasma lipoproteins, but did not occur in plasma phosphatidyl-ethanolamines. Obviously, the excess of phospholipids was quickly removed from the plasma, but either part of the plasma lecithins as a whole or their fatty acids were exchanged for the injected moieties.