LIPID-COMPOSITION OF 2 PURGATIVE FISH - R UVETTUS-PRETIOSUS AND LEPIDOCYBIUM-FLAVOBRUNNEUM

A review is made on the literature concerning the lipid composition of two fish belonging to PERCIFORMES order, Gempylidae family, Ruvettus pretiosus and Lepidocybium flavobrunneum. The lipid fraction is princi pally composed of wax esters (esters of fatty acid with long chain fat ty alcohols), as well as phospholipids, triglycerides, hidrocarbons an d sterols. The lipid extracted from these fish is tradicionally used i n consideration of its purgative properties in fishing villages from i slands like Canarias. In japanese markets, this fish can be found as a fraudulent substitue of other edible fish. It seems that the toxic-la xative properties are due to the large amount of wax esters in its lip id fraction.