Dipalmitoyl lecithin: studies on surface properties

¹ Section of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, and Department of Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas

A preparation of synthetic dipalmitoyl lecithin has been devised whose activity on a Wilhelmy surface balance is similar to that of extracts from normal lungs. An ethanol solution of lecithin is precipitated with albumin, and a drop of the suspension containing approximately 0.04 mg lecithin is spread on the surface of 0.9% NaCl in the trough of the balance. This preparation appears to be insensitive to oxidation and when run under humidified air gives reproducible results. It has a low minimum surface tension (5–10 dynes/cm) when compressed to 20% of the original surface area and exhibits considerable hysteresis on re-expansion. Addition of certain lipids to the surface film produces changes similar to those caused by addition of these lipids to cat lung extracts.

Submitted on September 8, 1964

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