The Human Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins Under Influence of EPL-Therapy

Abstract

The effect of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PU-PC) on the biochemical types of hyperlipoproteinemia and, the induced changes in the individual lipoprotein classes were investigated. 350 male and female hyperlipoproteinemic patients were screened by a panel of clinical and biochemical parameters. The selected patients belonged to type IIa and b (n=55) and type IV (n=37). 16% of the cohort members had hypertension, 16% had cardiovascular complications, 23% had cerebral symptoms and 14% had peripheral atherosclerosis. 31% of the group were obese and 9% of them were diabetic. Only patients with the same hyperlipoproteinemic type taken twice at an interval of 14 days were retained for statistical evaluation. 92 patients were intravenously treated during 14 days with 100 mg PU-PC/day and 69 patients were further treated perorally with 3x2 caps/day (1800 mg/d) for 106 days.

On agarose electrophoresis low density lipoproteins were decreased after intravenous PU-PC therapy and 25% of the lipoprotein patterns in type II were normalized. The plasma lipids, except triglycerides, were significantly decreased. From regression analysis of the data it has been statistically proved that an average of 38% of the excess plasma cholesterol was eliminated. Plasma cholesterol esters and phosphatidylcholine showed a significant increase of linoleic acid accompanied, by a decrease of cholesterol oleate. Type II hyperlipoproteinemia seems to be more receptive than type IV-patients. Low and high density lipoproteins are both decreased but their lipid load is differently modified during the intravenous therapy. The prolonged peroral effect of PU-PC keeps the plasma lipids significantly lower than the starting values, but to a lesser extent than during the intravenous therapy. Polyunsaturated fatty acids increase further and more than under the intravenous therapy.