In biochemistry, eicosanoids are signaling molecules derived from omega-3 (ω-3) or omega-6 (ω-6) fats. They exert complex control over many bodily systems, especially in inflammation, immunity and as messengers in the central nervous system. The network
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid often with a long unbranched aliphatic tail (chain), which is either saturated or unsaturated. Carboxylic acids as short as butyric acid (4 carbon atoms) are considered to be fatty a
In chemistry, an amino acid is a molecule that contains both amine and carboxyl functional groups. In biochemistry, this term refers to alpha-amino acids with the general formula H2NCHRCOOH, where R is an organic substituent.[1] In the alpha amino acids,
Cyclooxygenase (COX) is an enzyme (EC 1.14.99.1) that is responsible for formation of important biological mediators called prostanoids (including prostaglandins, prostacyclin and thromboxane). Pharmacological inhibition of COX can provide relief from the
Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (5-lipoxygenase, 5-LO, 5-LOX or Alox5), which transforms EFAs into leukotrienes, is a current target for pharmaceutical intervention in a number of diseases. 5-LO is a target for pharmaceutical intervention in CAD.
Arachidonic acid (AA) is an omega-6 fatty acid 20:4(ω-6). It is the counterpart to the saturated arachidic acid found in peanut oil, Arachidonic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is present in the phospholipids (especially phosphatidylethanolamin
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA or also icosapentaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid. In physiological literature, it is given the name 20:5(n-3). It also has the trivial name timnodonic acid. Chemically, EPA is a carboxylic acid with a 20-carbon chain and f