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Lecithin

Background

  • Lecithin is a lipid, or fat, found in egg yolks, organ meats (such as kidney, liver, and intestines), nuts, and spinach. It is used to treat illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, liver disease, acne, anxiety, and weight loss. Lecithin has positive effects on blood lipids, especially in combination with plant compounds known as sterols.

References

  1. Attia YA, Hussein AS, Tag El-Din AE, et al. Improving productive and reproductive performance of dual-purpose crossbred hens in the tropics by lecithin supplementation. Trop Anim Health Prod 2009;41(4):461-75.View Abstract
  2. Béliveau S, Gaudreault P, Goulet L, et al. Type I hypersensitivity in an asthmatic child allergic to peanuts: was soy lecithin to blame? J Cutan Med Surg 2008;12(1):27-30.View Abstract
  3. Hafner A, Lovrić J, Voinovich D, et al. Melatonin-loaded lecithin/chitosan nanoparticles: physicochemical characterisation and permeability through Caco-2 cell monolayers. Int J Pharm 2009;381(2):205-13.View Abstract
  4. Honda K, Enoshima T, Oshikata T, et al. Toxicity studies of Asahi Kasei PI, purified phosphatidylinositol from soy lecithin. J Toxicol Sci 2009;34(3):265-80.View Abstract
  5. Magalhães MS, Fechine FV, Macedo RN, et al. Effect of a combination of medium chain triglycerides, linoleic acid, soy lecithin and vitamins A and E on wound healing in rats. Acta Cir Bras 2008;23(3):262-9.View Abstract
  6. Mazaletskaia LI, Sheludchenko NI, Shishkina LN. Lecithin influence on the effectiveness of the antioxidant effect of flavonoids and alpha-tocopherol]. Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol 2010;46(2):148-52.View Abstract
  7. Muehlmann LA, Zanatta AL, Farias CL, et al. Dietary supplementation with soybean lecithin increases pulmonary PAF bioactivity in asthmatic rats. J Nutr Biochem 2010;21(6):532-7.View Abstract
  8. Naghashpour M, Cualing H. Splenomegaly with sea-blue histiocytosis, dyslipidemia, and nephropathy in a patient with lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency: a clinicopathologic correlation. Metabolism 2009;58(10):1459-64.View Abstract
  9. Reed ML, Ezeh PC, Hamic A, et al. Soy lecithin replaces egg yolk for cryopreservation of human sperm without adversely affecting postthaw motility, morphology, sperm DNA integrity, or sperm binding to hyaluronate. Fertil Steril 2009;92(5):1787-90.View Abstract
  10. Rousset X, Vaisman B, Amar M, et al. Lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase--from biochemistry to role in cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2009;16(2):163-71.View Abstract
  11. Shi X, Wang Y, Ren L, et al. A novel hydrophilic poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/lecithin hybrid microspheres sintered scaffold for bone repair. J Biomed Mater Res A 2010;92(3):963-72.View Abstract
  12. St Clair C, Norwitz ER, Woensdregt K,et al. The probability of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome as a function of gestational age and lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio. Am J Perinatol 2008;25(8):473-80.View Abstract
  13. Stübiger G, Pittenauer E, Belgacem O, et al. Analysis of human plasma lipids and soybean lecithin by means of high-performance thin-layer chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2009;23(17):2711-23.View Abstract
  14. Tanigawa H, Billheimer JT, Tohyama J, et al. Lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase expression has minimal effects on macrophage reverse cholesterol transport in vivo. Circulation 2009;120(2):160-9.View Abstract
  15. Zhang Y, Huang C, Sheng X, et al. Lecithin promotes adipocyte differentiation and hepatic lipid accumulation. Int J Mol Med 2009;23(4):449-54.View Abstract
Disclaimer: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.