Compendium of the most significant studies with reference to properties, intake, effects.

Stremmel W, Gauss A. Lecithin as a therapeutic agent in ulcerative colitis. Dig Dis. 2013;31(3-4):388-90. doi: 10.1159/000354707.

Nouraei M, Collymore C, Diosady L, Acosta E. HLD-NAC design and evaluation of a fully dilutable lecithin-linker SMEDDS for ibuprofen. Int J Pharm. 2021 Oct 28;610:121237. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.121237.

Lee DY, Lee CY, Shin JN, Oh JH, Shim SM. Impact of soy lecithin, zinc oxide, and methylsulfonylmethane, as excipient ingredients, on the bioaccessibility and intestinal transport of branched-chain amino acids from animal and plant protein mixtures. Food Funct. 2021 Oct 21. doi: 10.1039/d1fo01712h.

Xie M, Yu Y, Zhang L. Oil-gelling properties of soy lecithin fractions. Food Funct. 2021 Nov 1;12(21):10390-10396. doi: 10.1039/d1fo01250a.

Schmidt K, Weber N, Steiner M, Meyer N, Dubberke A, Rutenberg D, Hellhammer J. A lecithin phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) reduces symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome (PMS): Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Apr;24:22-30. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.01.067.

Xie M, Dunford NT. Fractionating of canola lecithin from acid degumming and its effect. Food Chem. 2019 Dec 1;300:125217. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125217.

Kohno H, Terauchi R, Watanabe S, Ichihara K, Watanabe T, Nishijima E, Watanabe A, Nakano T. Effect of Lecithin-Bound Iodine Treatment on Inherited Retinal Degeneration in Mice. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2021 Nov 1;10(13):8. doi: 10.1167/tvst.10.13.8.

Jardim KV, Siqueira JLN, Báo SN, Sousa MH, Parize AL. The role of the lecithin addition in the properties and cytotoxic activity of chitosan and chondroitin sulfate nanoparticles containing curcumin. Carbohydr Polym. 2020 Jan 1;227:115351. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115351.

Viñado A, Castillejos L, Barroeta AC. Soybean lecithin as an alternative energy source for grower and finisher broiler chickens: impact on performance, fatty acid digestibility, gut health, and abdominal fat saturation degree. Poult Sci. 2020 Nov;99(11):5653-5662. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.06.050.

Okuro PK, Tavernier I, Bin Sintang MD, Skirtach AG, Vicente AA, Dewettinck K, Cunha RL. Synergistic interactions between lecithin and fruit wax in oleogel formation. Food Funct. 2018 Mar 1;9(3):1755-1767. doi: 10.1039/c7fo01775h.

Rahnama M, Bouyeh M, Kadim I, Seidavi A, Elghandour MMMY, Reddy PRK, Monroy JC, Salem AZM. Effect of dietary inclusion of lecithin with choline on physiological stress of serum cholesterol fractions and enzymes, abdominal fat, growth performance, and mortality parameters of broiler chickens. Anim Biotechnol. 2020 Dec;31(6):483-490. doi: 10.1080/10495398.2019.1622557.

Talaat SM, Elnaggar YSR, Abdalla OY. Lecithin Microemulsion Lipogels Versus Conventional Gels for Skin Targeting of Terconazole: In Vitro, Ex Vivo, and In Vivo Investigation. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2019 Apr 10;20(4):161. doi: 10.1208/s12249-019-1374-3.

 Ciji A, Akhtar MS, Tripathi PH, Pandey A, Rajesh M, Kamalam BS. Dietary soy lecithin augments antioxidative defense and thermal tolerance but fails to modulate non-specific immune genes in endangered golden mahseer (Tor putitora) fry. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2021 Feb;109:34-40. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2020.11.031.

Chung C, Koo CKW, Sher A, Fu JR, Rousset P, McClements DJ. Modulation of caseinate-stabilized model oil-in-water emulsions with soy lecithin. Food Res Int. 2019 Aug;122:361-370. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2019.04.032.

Industria

Trzaskowska PA, Poniatowska A, Trzaskowski M, Latocha J, Ozga P, Major R, Ciach T. Lecithin suspensions for electrophoretic deposition on stainless steel coatings. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2018 Dec 1;93:134-144. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2018.07.052.

Lecithin is a natural product also called alpha-phosphatidylcholine that is very complex in that it is composed of choline, fatty acids, glycerol, phospholipids and amphiphilic lipids. Phospholipids are the main constituent and can be extracted from both vegetable fats and eggs. The function of phospholipids, which are found in animal and plant cell membranes, is the proper maintenance of vital organs in the human body: liver, brain, etc.

It is possible that lecithin is derived from animal sources. There are different methods of producing lecithin: from soya hexane extract, by hydration of soya with corn oil or solvent. The fatty acids used to make lecithin include palmitic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid.

What it is used for and where it is used

Food

The food industry uses soya lecithin and sunflower lecithin (E322) as lubricants, antioxidants and for their ability to protect and preserve the fragrance of ingredients.

Medical

In medical terms, the application of lecithin as an antiviral nasal spray (1) and for the treatment of allergic rhinitis has been studied. Furthermore, lecithin liposomes have proven effective for ENT disorders (2).

Cosmetics

Skin conditioning agent - Miscellaneous.  This ingredient has the task of modifying the condition of the skin when it is damaged or dry by reducing its flakiness and restoring its elasticity.

Surfactant - Emulsifying agent. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsifiers have the property to reduce the oil/water or water/oil interfacial tension, improve emulsion stability and also directly influence the stability, sensory properties and surface tension of sunscreens by modulating their filmometric performance.

In cosmetic products, lecithin, also in hydrogenated, biodegradable form, performs the dual function of conditioning agent and amphoteric surfactant (removes dirt particles) emulsifier. Minor functions such as antioxidant and dispersing agent.

The most relevant studies on the subject have been selected with a summary of their contents:

Lecithin studies

CAS   8002-43-5    8030-76-0   8002-43-5    93685-90-6

References___________________________________________________________________

(1) Qaisrani MN, Belousov R, Rehman JU, Goliaei EM, Girotto I, Franklin-Mergarejo R, Güell O, Hassanali A, Roldán É. Phospholipids dock SARS-CoV-2 spike protein via hydrophobic interactions: a minimal in-silico study of lecithin nasal spray therapy. Eur Phys J E Soft Matter. 2021 Oct 30;44(11):132. doi: 10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00137-3.

(2) Hofauer B, Bas M, Strassen U, Matsuba Y, Mansour N, Knopf A. Sinunasale Symptome ANCA-assoziierter Vaskulitiden und deren Therapie mit Liposomen Liposomal local therapy of sinunasal symptoms in ANCA associated vasculitis. Laryngorhinootologie. 2014 Jul;93(7):461-6. German. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1372588.