Die Phosphatide in Serum und Leber bei Lebercirrhose

The serum phospholipids of healthy subjects (n=30) and of patients with hepatitis (n=2) and liver cirrhosis (n=12) were separated by thin layer chromatography. The fractions were determined quantitatively. Increased phospholipid levels were found in hepatitis. The average phospholipid levels in patients with liver cirrhosis were the same as in the normal subjects, but the standard deviation from the mean was twice that of the normals. Lecithin had increased in all but one patient; lysolecithin was inversely related to the direct serum bilirubin concentrations, sphingomyelin was only slightly decreased. The fatty acids of phospholipids in serum of healthy subjects (n=10), patients with liver cirrhosis (n=10), cholangitis (n=2), chronic hepatitis (n=2) and obstructive jaundice (n=2) were analysed by gaschromatography. In cirrhosis, oleic acid and palmitic acid were increased, linoleic acid decreased. Similar but not as marked results were obtained in patients suffering from other hepatic diseases. In cirrhotic liver tissue (n=2) the concentration of lecithin tended to be normal, the concentration of cephalin was lowered, those of lysolecithin and sphingomyelin were elevated. Increased palmitic and oleic acid levels and decreased C_18:2 and C_20:4 fatty acid levels were observed. In cancerous tissue of the liver (n=1) the content of C_18:2 fatty acids was unchanged. The percentage of C_20:4 fatty acids however was lowered, those of C_16:1 and C_18:1 fatty acids were elevated.