Digestion of Lipids

(Dr.) Mirza Salman Baig

Assistant Professor (Pharmaceutics)
AIKTC, School of Pharmacy,New Panvel
Affiliated to University of Mumbai (INDIA)

 Lipids are sparingly soluble in

aqueous medium.
Enzymes are present in aqueous
medium.
There is need of solubilization
(formation of emulsion) of lipid for its
digestion.
Bile act emulgent.

DIGESTION OF LIPIDS
Enzyme Lingual lipase, secreted by
intrinsic salivary glands of the tongue,
digests a small amount of fat while food is
still in the mouth but becomes more active
at the acidic pH of the stomach.
Lipid digestion start in stomach by lingual
lipase at acidic pH.
Stomach contain seperate gastric lipase
which contain fat with short chain fatty acids.

Minor digestion of lipid

Digestion of lipid in stomach is
minimum because of low pH and
lipids are not emulsified, hence they
are not available for enzymatic
action.
Gastric lipase makes a larger
contribution to fat digestion (10-15%)
Most fat digestion occurs in the small
intestine through the action of
pancreatic lipase

Emulsification of Lipid
Fat globules are
emulsified by bile
which is made in
the liver and stored
in the gall bladder.
The monoglycerides
and fatty acids
produced by lipase
action aggregate to
form spherical
structures called
micelles

Mechanism of Emulsification
Surfactant action of bile salt
Mixing due to peristalsis

Newly made triglycerides are bound to

carrier proteins, forming tiny particles
called chylomicrons that are secreted
into the lymphatic capillaries (lacteals) of
the intestinal villi.

Bile salts
It is biological surfactant, synthesize
from cholestrol in liver.
Secreted in duodenum.
Bile salt posses steroid nucleus with
glycocholic acid or taurocholic acid.
It emulsify fat.

Surfactant action of degraded lipid

Free fatty acid and monoacyl glyceryl
promote emulsification.
O
CH2 O

(CH2)14CH3

O
CH

CH2

C (CH2)14CH3 +3 H2O
O
C

H+

(CH2)14CH3
CH2 OH
CH

OH

CH2

OH

O
+ 3 HO C

(CH2)14CH3

Digestion by pancreatic lipase

It cleave fatty acid at position 1 and 3
Products are 2monoacyl glycerol and
free fatty acid.
Lipid esterases is specific enzyme in
pancreatic juice.
Pancreatic colipase->activated by
trypsin ->Interacts with triglyceride
and pancreatic lipase -> Improves
activity of pancreatic lipase

Absorption of Lipids
Lipolytic theory by Verzar
(absorbed as soap)
Partition theory by Frazer
(partially digested triglycerides in
form of emulsion)
Bregstorm theory (Micells
formation by bile salts)

Bile Salts

Dietary Fat

Lipase

(large TG droplet)

2/ Monoglyceride
+ 2 FFA

Lipid
emulsion

Micelle Formation

Lipid Absorption
Mixed micelles move to intestinal
mucosal cells (enterocytes) and
release contents near cell
The bile salts are re-absorbed further
down the gastrointestinal tract and
transported to the liver, finally
recycled and secreted back into the
digestive tract

Lipid Absorption
Once in enterocyte
Glycerol and short chain fatty acids
directly enter mesenteric blood
2-monoglycerides and longer-chain free
fatty acids reformed into triglycerides, and
then packaged with protein to form
chylomicrons
Phospholipids hydrolyzed to free fatty
acids

Lipid Absorption
simple diffusion

exocytosis
Short and
medium
chain
fatty
acids

Chylomicron
Chylomicrons (from the Greek chylo,
meaning juice or milky fluid, and micron,
meaning small particle) are lipoprotein
particles that consist of triglycerides
(8592%), phospholipids (612%),
cholesterol (13%), and proteins (12%).
They transport dietary lipids from the
intestines to other locations in the body.
Chylomicrons transport lipids absorbed from
the intestine to adipose

Chylomicron

Thank You