Polyunsaturated fatty acid
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are fatty acids that contain more than one double bond in their backbone. This class includes many important compounds, such as essential fatty acids and those that give drying oils their characteristic property.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids can be classified in various groups by their chemical structure:
Types
Methylene-interrupted polyenes
These fatty acids have 2 or more cis double bonds that are separated from each other by a single methylene bridge (-CH
2- unit). This form is also sometimes called a divinylmethane pattern.[1]
Methylene- interrupted double bonds
| −C−C=C−C−C=C− |
|
The essential fatty acids are all omega-3 and -6 methylene-interrupted fatty acids. See more at Essential fatty acids—Nomenclature
Omega-3
| Common name |
Lipid name |
Chemical name |
|---|
Omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated
| Hexadecatrienoic acid (HTA) |
16:3 (n-3) |
all-cis 7,10,13-hexadecatrienoic acid |
| Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) |
18:3 (n-3) |
all-cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid |
| Stearidonic acid (SDA) |
18:4 (n-3) |
all-cis-6,9,12,15,-octadecatetraenoic acid |
| Eicosatrienoic acid (ETE) |
20:3 (n-3) |
all-cis-11,14,17-eicosatrienoic acid |
| Eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA) |
20:4 (n-3) |
all-cis-8,11,14,17-eicosatetraenoic acid |
| Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, Timnodonic acid) |
20:5 (n-3) |
all-cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid |
| Heneicosapentaenoic acid (HPA) |
21:5 (n-3) |
all-cis-6,9,12,15,18-heneicosapentaenoic acid |
| Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, Clupanodonic acid) |
22:5 (n-3) |
all-cis-7,10,13,16,19-docosapentaenoic acid |
| Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, Cervonic acid) |
22:6 (n-3) |
all-cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid |
| Tetracosapentaenoic acid |
24:5 (n-3) |
all-cis-9,12,15,18,21-tetracosapentaenoic acid |
| Tetracosahexaenoic acid (Nisinic acid) |
24:6 (n-3) |
all-cis-6,9,12,15,18,21-tetracosahexaenoic acid |
|
Omega-6
| Common name |
Lipid name |
Chemical name |
|---|
Omega-6 fatty acids, polyunsaturated
| Linoleic acid |
18:2 (n-6) |
all-cis-9,12-octadecadienoic acid |
| Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) |
18:3 (n-6) |
all-cis-6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid |
| Eicosadienoic acid |
20:2 (n-6) |
all-cis-11,14-eicosadienoic acid |
| Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) |
20:3 (n-6) |
all-cis-8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid |
| Arachidonic acid (AA) |
20:4 (n-6) |
all-cis-5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid |
| Docosadienoic acid |
22:2 (n-6) |
all-cis-13,16-docosadienoic acid |
| Adrenic acid |
22:4 (n-6) |
all-cis-7,10,13,16-docosatetraenoic acid |
| Docosapentaenoic acid (Osbond acid) |
22:5 (n-6) |
all-cis-4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoic acid |
| Tetracosatetraenoic acid |
24:4 (n-6) |
all-cis-9,12,15,18-tetracosatetraenoic acid |
| Tetracosapentaenoic acid |
24:5 (n-6) |
all-cis-6,9,12,15,18-tetracosapentaenoic acid |
|
Omega-9
Conjugated fatty acids
Conjugated double bonds
| -C=C-C=C- |
|
| Common name |
Lipid name |
Chemical name |
|---|
Conjugated fatty acids have two or more conjugated double bonds
| Conjugated Linoleic Acids (two conjugated double bonds) |
| Rumenic acid |
18:2 (n-7) |
9Z,11E-octadeca-9,11-dienoic acid |
| |
18:2 (n-6) |
10E,12Z-octadeca-9,11-dienoic acid |
| Conjugated Linolenic Acids (three conjugated double bonds) |
| α-Calendic acid |
18:3 (n-6) |
8E,10E,12Z-octadecatrienoic acid |
| β-Calendic acid |
18:3 (n-6) |
8E,10E,12E-octadecatrienoic acid |
| Jacaric acid |
18:3 (n-6) |
8Z,10E,12Z-octadecatrienoic acid |
| α-Eleostearic acid |
18:3 (n-5) |
9Z,11E,13E-octadeca-9,11,13-trienoic acid |
| β-Eleostearic acid |
18:3 (n-5) |
9E,11E,13E-octadeca-9,11,13-trienoic acid |
| Catalpic acid |
18:3 (n-5) |
9Z,11Z,13E-octadeca-9,11,13-trienoic acid |
| Punicic acid |
18:3 (n-5) |
9Z,11E,13Z-octadeca-9,11,13-trienoic acid |
| Other |
| Rumelenic acid |
18:3 (n-3) |
9E,11Z,15E-octadeca-9,11,15-trienoic acid |
| α-Parinaric acid |
18:4 (n-3) |
9E,11Z,13Z,15E-octadeca-9,11,13,15-tetraenoic acid |
| β-Parinaric acid |
18:4 (n-3) |
all trans-octadeca-9,11,13,15-tretraenoic acid |
| Bosseopentaenoic acid |
20:5 (n-6) |
5Z,8Z,10E,12E,14Z-eicosanoic acid |
|
Other polyunsaturated fatty acids
| Common name |
Lipid name |
Chemical name |
|---|
| Pinolenic acid |
18:3 (n-6) |
(5Z,9Z,12Z)-octadeca-5,9,12-trienoic acid |
| Podocarpic acid |
20:3 (n-6) |
(5Z,11Z,14Z)-eicosa-5,11,14-trienoic acid |
|
Function and effects
The biological effects of the ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids are largely mediated by their mutual interactions, see Essential fatty acid interactions for detail.
See also
References
Citations
- ↑ Baggott, James (1997). The divinylmethane pattern in fatty acids. Salt Lake City, UT: Knowledge Weavers.
General References
. PMID 16662992.