Chemical and Pharmacological Properties of Vasopressor Phospholipid in Crude Soybean Lecithin

Abstract

Commercial soybean lecithin has a potent hypertensive effect on anesthetized rats. Crude soybean lecithin was separated into 2 fractions with respect to solubility in cold acetone. The acetone-insoluble fraction containing most pressor activity was separated into 2 further active fractions by column chromatography on silicic acid. The active fraction eluted with chloroform-methanol mixture (4:6) was further purified by gel filtration on Sephadex LH-20. The purified pressor substance had P and was labile to alkali. Its chromatographic and partition behaviors indicate that it may be a polar acidic phospholipid. The short-lasting pressor response produced by the active lipid was not reduced by mechanical injury to the CNS or treatment with an .alpha.-adrenergic blocking agent or a ganglion-blocking agent.