Evaluation of biosynthetic pathways of phosphatidyl choline in liver of rats given phenobarbital: a study on molecular species of phosphatidyl choline.

Administration of phenobarbital to female rats significantly increased the levels of liver monoenoic, dienoic and tetraenoic PC and in plasma it raised phosphatidyl choline and its monoenoic and dienoic species and decreased triglyceride levels. Significant reductions in the incorporation of NaH2 32PO4 into monoenoic and dienoic PC were observed in phenobarbital treated rats. Phenobarbital administration significantly increased the incorporation of 14CH3-methionine into tetraenoic and hexaenoic PC of liver. In plasma the incorporation of NaH2 32PO4 into monoenoic and dienoic PC in phenobarbital treated rats was not affected but that of 14CH3-methionine incorporation into tetraenoic and hexaenoic PC was suppressed as compared to the control. Phenobarbital enhanced PC synthesis Via N-methylation of PE and depressed via CDP-choline pathway.