lipophilic

Thân thiện

A scientist adds a lipophilic dye to a beaker of oil.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having an affinity for lipids: Describes a substance or molecule that is attracted to, dissolves in, or can combine with fats, oils, and other lipids (non-polar solvents). It is the opposite of hydrophilic (water-attracting).

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Vitamin A is a lipophilic vitamin, which means it is stored in the body's fatty tissues.
  • The drug's lipophilic nature allows it to easily cross the cell membrane, which is made of a lipid bilayer.
  • Many pesticides are lipophilic, leading to their accumulation in animal fat.

Advanced Usage

• In Pharmacology: Often used to describe a drug's ability to be absorbed and distributed within the body.
  • The lipophilic character of the anesthetic ensures rapid onset of action.
• In Chemistry and Biochemistry: Used to describe the partitioning behavior of molecules between aqueous and organic phases.
  • In the experiment, the lipophilic dye concentrated in the oil layer.

Variants and Related Words

• Lipophilicity (n): The degree to which a substance is lipophilic; its affinity for lipids.
  • The compound's high lipophilicity affects its pharmacokinetics.
• Hydrophobic (adj): While often used interchangeably in casual contexts, "hydrophobic" strictly means "water-repelling," which is a consequence of being lipophilic. A lipophilic substance is typically also hydrophobic.

Synonyms

• Fat-soluble: Capable of dissolving in fats or lipids.
• Non-polar: Having an even distribution of charge, making it more soluble in non-polar solvents like lipids (a key chemical property of lipophilic substances).

Antonyms

• Hydrophilic (adj): Having an affinity for water; water-attracting.
• Lipophobic (adj): Having a lack of affinity for lipids.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. having an affinity for lipids

Từ đồng nghĩa

• lipotropic