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The phase behavior of the system β-carotene–glyceryl trioleate–CO2 has been investigated using a variable-volume high-pressure cell. The mass fraction of β-carotene in the initial mixture with glyceryl trioleate was 0.1. The gas rich phase was sampled in the pressure range from (25 to 60) MPa at temperatures of (313, 323, and 333) K. The solubilities in dense CO2 under the investigated conditions were in the range from (4.51·10–7 to 1.22·10–5) mol·mol–1 for β-carotene and from (0.38·10–3 to 1.91·10–3) mol·mol–1 for glyceryl trioleate. The results were compared with those found in the literature. The experimental data were correlated using a density based model proposed by Chrastil.

Our laboratory has identified nearly 2000 patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and conducted therapeutic trials in groups of patients who represent the major phenotypes. We report recent results of dietary therapy with a mixture of glyceryl trioleate and glyceryl trierucate oil, also referred to as Lorenzo's Oil, in the asymptomatic and childhood cerebral phenotypes. Fifty-three patients started this therapy at a mean age of 7.5 years at a time when they were free of neurological symptoms. Although analysis of data is hampered by the lack of a concurrent control group, follow-up studies after 39 months of therapy suggest that subsequent neurological involvement was less frequent and less severe than anticipated from historical controls. Retrospective analysis of the effect of the oil in patients with the severe childhood cerebral phenotype indicates that there was a slight but statistically significant slowing of clinical progression and delay of death.

The transport of absorbed long acyl chain lipids in the portal vein of rats has been shown to be 39% when the duodenal input rate is 135 mumol/h glyceryl trioleate (TO) [C. M. Mansbach II, R. F. Dowell, and D. Pritchett, Am. J. Physiol. 255 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 18): G530-G539, 1991]. These calculations were based on a new experimental model in which portal flux is calculated from the knowledge of portal flow and the concentration of the lipids in excess in the portal vein vs. the carotid artery. To test this model, rats were infused for 6 h with a low rate of [3H]TO (27 mumol/h) with or without phosphatidylcholine (9 mumol/h) or with [3H]TO (135 mumol/h) plus phosphatidylcholine (9 mumol/h) or with [3H]TO (135 mumol/h) plus phosphatidylcholine (9 mumol/h). In all three cases, portal flux was expected to be less. Portal transport was 16.5% of the input rate in the low-dose group, 1.4% in the high-dose group given phosphatidylcholine, and 0.5% in the low-dose plus phosphatidylcholine group. There was no net transport of fatty acid in the portal vein in any of the three cases. These data show that portal lipid transport is dependent on the lipid load and that it is greatly reduced at high loads by including phosphatidylcholine in the lipid infusion.

A 10-year-old boy with adrenoleukodystrophy was treated with gammaglobulin in conjunction with a mixture of glyceryl trioleate and glyceryl trierucate. With a high dose of gammaglobulin, clinical improvement, including the reduction of visual field defects, was noted. On magnetic resonance imaging, attenuation of the enhancement of the rim with gadolinium was observed, suggesting repair of the blood-brain barrier. When auditory agnosia developed later, a temporary improvement was again obtained with gammaglobulin. Although the progress of the disease could not be arrested permanently, gammaglobulin therapy seemed to have been associated with temporary improvement of the clinical symptoms in this patient with adrenoleukodystrophy.

Van Geel et al in this issue (pp290–9)1 provide a thorough multidisciplinary analysis of the clinical progression of 22 patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) who were treated with Lorenzo’s oil (a 4:1 mixture of glyceryl trioleate and glyceryl trierucate). Four patients remained unchanged. One patient improved, 13 worsened, and in five some indices improved and others worsened. Mild to moderate worsening was the most frequent finding and confirms previous reports. The introduction of Lorenzo’s oil therapy 10 years ago raised high expectations, heightened by the motion picture of the same name. The expectations were based mainly on …

A 5-year-old boy with adrenoleukodystrophy, with clinical symptoms of visual, mental and motor disturbances which progressed rapidly, was treated with Lorenzo's oil consisting 1 volume of glyceryl trierucate and 4 volumes of glyceryl trioleate. Five months after initiation of this therapy, ability to swallow was enhanced and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed regression of high intensity area of the parieto-occipital white matter.

Serial intracutaneous injections of chemically pure, synthetic glyceryl trioleate (triolein) lead to the same allergic reactions as vegetable oils. The sensitization by natural vegetable oils can be attributed to fatty acid triglycerides and not to impurities. This sensitization is not accompanied by a rise of the blood eosinophils. The absence of eosinophilia fits in with the known fact that eosinophilia is far from constant in allergy and with our finding that large amounts of oil are needed to produce a resorption eosinophilia.

The presence of lipase in the human aortic wall was demonstrated by Adams et al. (Adams et al., 1969). A detailed study on the properties of the enzyme was reported by Hayase and Miller (Hayase et al., 1970). However, they used the whole aortic tissue for preparing the enzyme sources. In this paper studies on the properties of lipases in the human aortic intima and media and on the role of these enzymes in the development of atherosclerosis are presented.