Fatty Acid Composition of Total Lipids and Glycerophospholipids of New Zealand White Rabbit Lean Muscle Tissue

Abstract

The fatty acid composition of New Zealand White rabbit lean tissue total lipids and individual glycerophospholipids was determined. Total lipid content was between 2.5 and 3.0g/100g and glycerophosholipids were 26 to 29%. Neutral lipids account for 63 to 65% of the total lipids. The major fatty acids of the total lipids were C18:2 n–6 (34.4mol/100mol), C18:1 n–9 (26.4mol/100mol), and C16:0 (24.1mol/100mol). Total monoenes and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were 27.7mol/100mol and 38.7mol/100 mol, respectively. For monoenes and PUFA, there were no statistically significant differences (P>.05) between male and female rabbits. However, there was marked heterogeneity in the relative fatty acid composition of the glycerophospholipids. In some cases there were significant differences (P<.05) between males and females with respect to individual fatty acids. High concentrations of Cl8:1 n–9 (26.8mol/100mol) and C20:4 n–6 (20.3mol/100mol) were found in glycerophosphoethanolamine (GPE). There were significant differences (P<.05) in C16:0, C18:2 n–6, and PUFA concentrations between the male and female rabbits in GPE. There were no significant differences between the fatty acid composition of male and female glycerophosphocholine (GPC), and glycerolysophosphocholine (GLPC). The predominant fatty acids in GPC were C16:0 (36.1mol/100mol) and C18:2 n–6 (30.2mol/100mol). The C18:2 n–6 levels in male and female rabbit glycerophosphoinositol (GPI) were statistically different (P<.05), representing 10.8 and 5.8mol/100mol, respectively. The overall major fatty acids of GPI were C18:0 (37.1mol/100mol) and C18:0 n–6 (25.2mol/100mol). Glycerophosphoserine (GPS) and sphingomyelin (SPH) had the highest overall concentrations of C18:0, i.e., 41.0 and 44.2mol/100mol, respectively. Sphingomyelin contained the highest overall concentration of total saturated fatty acids (83.3mol/ 100mol) followed by GLPC (60.1mol/100mol), whereas the highest total monoenes and total PUFA were found in the GPE when compared with other glycerophospholipids.