Isolation of Native Plasmalogens.

Abstract

A general method has been developed for the isolation of native plasmalogens. The method is based on selective deacylation of natural mixtures of the plasmalogens and the corresponding diacyl phosphatides by mild alkaline treatment, which destroys the plasmalogens more slowly than the diacyl phosphatides. Native ethanolamine plasmalogens were thus isolated for the first time in fairly pure form. Native choline plasmalogens could also be isolated by the method described. The plasmalogens isolated still remained contaminated with small amounts of the corresponding acylated alkoxy phosphatides, which were deacylated by alkali at about the same rate as the plasmalogens.