Analysis of major lipid classes and their fatty acids in a cestode parasite of domestic fowl, raillietina (Fuhrmannetta) echinobothrida

Adult tape worms take up small molecules through their tegument and are therefore largely dependent on their host's ability to break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Cestodes have lost their capacity for de novo synthesis of lipids and have become entirely dependent on their host. It is reported that the cestodes are able to absorb both short and long chain fatty acids through a mixture of diffusion and mediated transport. Cestodes do not use lipids normally as energy reserve; instead these are being utilized for reproduction. In an attempt to know the lipid composition of the fowl cestode, Raillietina (Fuhrmannetta) echinobothrida, major lipid classes and their fatty acid compositions of this parasite were analyzed by TLC and GLC respectively. Fatty acid methyl esters of total lipid, neutral lipid, phospholipid, and glycolipid were prepared by transmethylation. Eighteen fatty acids were identified from the parasite. The percent content of neutral lipid (64.39), glycolipid (15.7) and phospholipid (19.91) were recorded. Palmitic (C₁₆) and C₁₈ (stearic) acids were the chief components among the fatty acids.