Abstract
Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that enables them to capture light for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll consists of a porphyrin ring with magnesium and the phytol side chain. Phytanic acid is a phytol metabolite. Phytanic acid and other phytol metabolites specifically bind to RXR-like receptors and participate in the regulation of the cell cycle. Green foods contain varying amounts of chlorophyll; the intensity of the green coloration is a visual guide for the concentration. Plants also may contain significant amounts of phytol or phytanic acid. Dairy fat and meat fat from ruminants contain phytanic acid. Food processing and digestion can convert chlorophyll into the derivatives pheophytin, pyropheophytin, and pheophorbide. Phytanic and pristanic acid are nearly completely absorbed from the small intestine. Pancreatic lipase and phospholipases A2 and B in the digestive tract release phytanic and pristanic acids from dietary triglycerides or other lipids, which are then incorporated into mixed micelles. These micelles transfer their content into enterocytes through poorly understood mechanisms. Phytanic and pristanic acids can then be incorporated into triglycerides and other lipids and exported with chylomicrons, just like other long-chain fatty acids. It is unlikely that significant amounts of the fatty acid intermediates are excreted. Nothing is known about excretion of phytol.
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