Phosphatidic Acid Production in the Processing of Cabbage Leaves

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid mediator involved in various physiological responses, including wound healing. Evidence of the antiulcer activity of LPA has been reported, and soybean LPA at a concentration of 10 μM is effective in reducing stress-induced gastric ulcer. Because LPA can be formed from phosphatidic acid (PA) by digestive phospholipase A₂, dietary PA can be considered a potential antiulcer phospholipid. In this study, PA production in cut processing of cabbage leaves was examined. The amounts of PA in sliced, minced, and homogenized cabbage leaves were 107 ± 5, 134 ± 19, and 286 ± 29 nmol PA/g (wet weight), respectively, all being significantly higher than the amount of PA found in intact leaves. Mixing mayonnaise with sliced cabbage dramatically increased the PA content (1586 ± 393 nmol/3 g), indicating phospholipase D activity leaked raw cabbage produced PA. These results indicate that fine cutting raw cabbage leaves and mixing them with foods rich in phospholipids resulted in an abundant production of PA.