Theme XIV: Lipids

Uses of lipids. Uses as food and medicine. Lipids deficiency.

Fats, fixed oils and some unsaturated fatty acids are essential nutrients. Their deficiency in the human diet may produce eczematous skin conditions.

There is experimental evidence that fats like saffron oil are rich in linoleic acid and other unsaturated acids and play an important role in moving cholesterol when used reasonably in the diet.

Some oils such as peanut oil and sesame oil are often used in the preparation of intramuscular injections. Others have medicinal action by themselves, such as castor oil (cathartic), cod liver oil (anti cathartic) and olive oil (emollient).

The salts of various fatty acids are fungicides, e.g. zinc undecylenate.

Other derivatives of glycerine are soaps and surface active agents (surfactants) which are used as detergents and germicides.

Lipids

Fixed oils and fats

Wax

Sterols

Phospholipids

Properties of lipids

Uses of lipids. Uses as food and medicine. Lipids deficiency.