Physical and Chemical Properties of Lipids

Lipids - heterogeneous group of compounds, including fats, oils, steroids, waxes, and related compounds,
that are related more by their physical than by their chemical properties.
- hydrophobic
Common properties:
 (1) relatively insoluble in water
 (2) soluble in nonpolar solvents
Some importance:
 dietary supplementation
 serves as electrical insulator (in signalling process in the nerves)
 serves as a thermal insulator in the subcutaneous tissues

GENERAL STRUCTURE OF TRIGLYCERIDES

LIPIDS ARE CLASSIFIED AS SIMPLE OR COMPLEX

1. Simple Lipids
a. Fats and Fixed Oils - Esters of fatty acids with glycerol.
Oils or Fixed Oils are fats in the liquid state at room temperature; except theobroma oil
Fats are solid at room temperature; except cod liver oil
b. Waxes - Esters of fatty acids with higher molecular weight monohydric alcohol
c. Sterols - alcohols containing the CPPP (cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene) nucleus. Examples
are cholesterol, ergosterol, stigrmasterol
2. Complex lipids
a. Phospholipids - Lipids containing, in addition to fatty acids and an alcohol, a phosphoric acid
residue. They frequently have nitrogen-containing bases (eg, choline) and other substituents. In many
phospholipids the alcohol is glycerol (glycerophospholipids), but in sphingophospholipids it is
sphingosine, which contains an amino group.
1. Glycerophospholipids: Glycerol + Fatty Acid + Phosphoric Acid
The following are glycerophospholipids:
□ Phosphatidylserine: Serine + Phosphatidic Acid

Notes by: NHF,RPh

 □ Cephalin: Ethanolamine + Phosphatidic Acid
□ Lecithin: Choline + Phosphatidic Acid
□ Phosphatidylinositol: Inositol + Phosphatidic Acid
□ Phosphatidylglycerol: Glycerol + Phosphatidic Acid
CLINICAL CORRELATION:
Lecithin Deficiency
- Lecithin is a lung surfactant
- causes Respiratory Distress Syndrome

2. Sphingphospholipids
□ Ceramide (precursor of glycolipids): Sphingosine + Fatty Acid
□ Sphingomyelin (constituent of myelin sheaths): Sphingosine + Phosphorylcholine
CLINICAL CORRELATION:
Example:
NIEMANN-PICK DISEASE:
- Sphingomyelin collects in the brain due to a deficiency in sphingomyelinase which
normally removes phosphorylcholine from sphingomyelin.
- causes Mental retardation (and early childhood death)

b. Glycolipids (glycosphingolipid) - Lipids containing a fatty acid, sphingosine, and carbohydrate.

c. Other complex lipids - Lipids such as sulfolipids and amino lipids. Lipoproteins may also be
placed in this category

Notes by: NHF,RPh

SATURATED AND UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS
Saturated - containing no double bonds
Unsaturated - containing one of more double bonds

SATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Mnemonic: AceProBu CaLaMyPaStAr BeLi

UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Notes by: NHF,RPh

Define the following Terms
Emulsion- a fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in another in which it is not soluble or miscible.
Surface Tension - a physical property equal to the amount of force per unit area necessary to expand
the surface of a liquid.

Write the equation for Acrolein Test

When glycerol is heated with potassium bisulphate or
concentrated H2SO4, dehydration occurs and aldehyde Acrolein
formed which has characteristic odour. This testresponds to glycerol
free or linked as an ester.

SAPONIFICATION
– alkali hydrolysis of fats and fixed oils

Or

Notes by: NHF,RPh