Polar Lipid Mixtures, their Preparation and Uses

Abstract

Disclosed herein are polar lipid mixtures, comprising glycerophospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidyl-inositol (PI), and sphingolipids such as sphyngomyelin (SM). Most importantly, the ratio of phospholipids in said mixture is comparable to that of HMF, and is represented by SM>PC>PE>PS>PI or SM=PC>PE>PS>PI. Processes for the preparation of said mixtures and uses thereof are also described herein.

1 - 56 . (canceled) 
   
   
       57 . A man-made lipid preparation comprising a mixture of glycerophospholipids being phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidyl-inositol (PI), and optionally comprising a sphingolipid or a precursor or metabolite thereof, wherein the level of each of said PC, PE, PS and PI is at least 1% w/w, the ratio between said glycerophospholipids is PC>PE>PS>PI, and said glycerophospholipids are derived from a natural non-brain animal lipid source. 
   
   
       58 . The lipid preparation of  claim 57 , wherein said sphingolipid is sphingomyelin (SM). 
   
   
       59 . The lipid preparation of  claim 58 , comprising sphingomyelin, wherein the ratio between said glycerophospholipids is SM>PC>PE>PS>PI. 
   
   
       60 . The lipid preparation of  claim 57 , wherein said glycerophospholipids are obtained from said natural non-brain animal lipid source by fractionation and/or extraction. 
   
   
       61 . The lipid preparation of  claim 57 , wherein the level of PC is at least 5% w/w, the level of PS is at least 2% w/w, the level of PE is at least 4% w/w, and the level of PI is at least 2% w/w. 
   
   
       62 . The lipid preparation of  claim 59  comprising at least 2% w/w SM. 
   
   
       63 . A process for the preparation of a lipid preparation comprising a mixture of glycerophospholipids being phosphatidyl-choline (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidyl-inositol (PI), and optionally comprising a sphingolipid or a precursor or metabolite thereof preferably sphingomyelin, wherein the ratio between said glycerophospholipids is PC>PE>PS>PI, from a natural non-brain animal lipid source, comprising isolating said lipid mixture from said natural non-brain animal lipid source by methods which do not involve transphosphatidylation. 
   
   
       64 . The process of  claim 63 , wherein said sphingolipid is sphyngomyelin. 
   
   
       65 . The process of  claim 64 , wherein said glycerophospholipid mixture comprises sphingomyelin from a natural non-brain animal lipid source, wherein the ratio between said glycerophospholipids is SM>PC>PE>PS>PI. 
   
   
       66 . The process of  claim 63 , wherein said isolation comprises the steps of:
 (a) providing a natural non-brain animal lipid source which has a substantially low content of polar lipids;   (b) removing non-lipid material from said lipid source, dispersing the lipids, preferably with agitation, in a suitable organic solvent or a mixture of organic solvents;   (c) separating the dissolved lipid fraction obtained in step (b) and removing the organic solvent therefrom to give a lipid fraction;   (d) de-oiling said lipid fraction obtained in step (c) at least once to remove any non-polar lipids;   (e) filtering and drying said polar lipids obtained in step (d); and   
     further optionally comprising a step of treating said lipid source with an aqueous medium, either before or after step (b). 
   
   
       67 . The process of  claim 66 , wherein said glycerophospholipids mixture comprises sphingomyelin from a natural non-brain animal lipid source, wherein the ratio between said glycerophospholipids in said preparation is SM>PC>PE>PS>PI, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a natural non-brain animal lipid source which has a substantially low content of polar lipids;   (b) removing non-lipid material from said lipid source, dispersing the lipids, preferably with agitation, in a suitable organic solvent or a mixture of organic solvents,   (c) separating the dissolved lipid fraction obtained in step (b) and removing the organic solvent therefrom to give a lipid fraction;   (d) de-oiling said lipid fraction obtained in step (c) at least once to remove any non-polar lipids;   (e) filtering and drying said polar lipids obtained in step (d); and   
     further optionally comprising a step of treating said lipid source with an aqueous medium, either before or after step (b). 
   
   
       68 . The process of  claim 66 , wherein said natural lipid source is derived from bovine milk, and contains up to 5% w/w, preferably 10% w/w, more preferably 25% w/w, even more preferably 35% w/w of total lipids, and optionally contains sphingomyelin, in addition to other constituents including proteins and carbohydrates, and wherein about 20%, preferably 30%, more preferably 50%, most preferably 70% of said total lipids are polar lipids. 
   
   
       69 . The process of  claim 64 , said process comprising further subjecting said preparation to a step of any one of alkaline hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, preparative chromatography or polar lipid extraction, whereby the lipid preparation obtained is enriched with sphingomyelin (SM). 
   
   
       70 . A dietary supplement comprising a lipid preparation as defined in  claim 57 . 
   
   
       71 . The dietary supplement of  claim 70 , for use as an ingredient of a lipid constituent of infant formulas or as an ingredient of infant formulas. 
   
   
       72 . A method for the enhancement of infants and/or children development, comprising administering to said infant or child a lipid preparation as defined in  claim 57 . 
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein said development is cognitive development or vision development. 
   
   
       74 . A food article comprising the dietary supplement of  claim 70 . 
   
   
       75 . The food article of  claim 74 , wherein said food article is an infant formula. 
   
   
       76 . The process of  claim 63 , further comprising the step of isolating SM from the polar lipid fraction. 
   
   
       77 . A method for the treatment of brain related illnesses or disorders or for improving cognitive functions or for treating, preventing or ameliorating myelin-related disorders or diseases, particularly de-myelination related disorders in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising administering to said subject the lipid preparation as defined in  claim 57 . 
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 77 , wherein said brain-related disorder is one of mood-, memory-, stress-, or age-related disorders, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, said cognitive function is one of memory loss, problems of concentration and attention and learning capabilities, and said de-myelination related disorder is MS. 
   
   
       79 . A method of supporting and enhancing in a subject, the normal or improved development of myelin sheath and other sphingomyelin-related tissues comprising administering to said subject the lipid preparation of  claim 58 .