Amphiphilic compounds

Amphiphilic compounds are molecules that possess both hydrophilic and lipophilic properties (Figure 1). They are also called amphipathic compounds.

Figure 1. Example of amphiphilic compound. Phospholipids have a hydrophilic part (in green), and a lipophilic part (in orange).

Some common amphiphilic substances are soaps, detergents, and lipoproteins. Due to their nature, some of them are used as emulsifiers to stabilize emulsions.