Plasmalogen
Plasmalogen has a significant impact on brain health,
and its reduction can lead to neurodegenerative diseases.
1. What is Plasmalogen?
Plasmalogen is a vital component present in the tissues (cell membranes) of all mammals, including humans. Notably, 65% of the human brain is composed of lipids, of which 50% are phospholipids. Approximately 18% of these phospholipids are plasmalogen-type phospholipids. A decrease in plasmalogen levels is known to promote apoptosis (cell death), which can lead to Alzheimer's disease and other conditions.
Plasmalogen (Figure 1) is found in most human tissues and is particularly related to the enhancement of the nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems. Plasmalogen is classified into ethanolamine and choline types, with ethanolamine plasmalogen being ten times more abundant in the human brain than choline plasmalogen.
20% of the adult brain cell membrane and 70% of the myelin sheath (the insulating layer surrounding nerve fibers) consist of ethanolamine plasmalogen.
Scallop-derived plasmalogen produced using patented technology (Figure 2) has a high total amount of 'plasmalogen', especially a very high DHA content in 'ethanolamine plasmalogen' (Figure 3).
2. Structure of Plasmalogen
Plasmalogen is a type of glycerophospholipid, distinguished by the substance (ethanolamine or choline) attached to the third position (sn-3) of the glycerol backbone. Generally, glycerophospholipids form ester bonds, but plasmalogens are known to form vinyl ether bonds at the sn-1 position.
An important aspect is the composition of the fatty acid at the second position (sn-2) of the glycerol backbone. This composition varies depending on the source material, and scallop-derived plasmalogen notably contains a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids such as DHA at the sn-2 position.
Research indicates that the functionality of scallop-derived plasmalogen is significantly higher compared to plasmalogens from other sources. Scallop-derived plasmalogen closely resembles the plasmalogen composition of brain nerve cell membranes, resulting in superior bioactivity within the human body (Figure 4).
Source : Institute of Rheological Functions of Food
Source : Institute of Rheological Functions of Food