Sapienic acid is a fatty acid considered to be the major component of human sebum. This sebum fatty acid is exclusive to humans. Among all hair bearing animals, only humans could produce this fatty acid and is not found in any organ than skin. It is developed from palmitic acid by action of enzyme delta-desaturase. The acid is under suspicion in the development of acne and possesses antibacterial activity. Delta-6-desaturation of palmitic acid results biosynthesis of sapienic acid. In other tissues, linoleic acid is the mark for delta 6 desaturase but linoleic acid is reduced in sebaceous cells that…
Author: Emily
Oleic acid is the major omega-9 fatty acid present naturally in various animals or vegetable fats and oils. It is colorless and odorless oil though commercial samples might be yellowish. In chemical terms, oleic acid is categorized as monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid shortened with a lipid number of 18:1 cis-9. It has formula CH3(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)7COOH. The name is derived from Latin word oleum which means oil. In nature, it is a common fatty acid. Oleic acid is used as a component in many foods in form of triglycerides. This acid is a non-essential fatty acid which means it is naturally produced…
Lutein and zeaxanthin are two types of carotenoids, which are pigments (yellow to red) found in vegetables. They are present in dark, leafy greens such as kale, chard, and spinach, as well as in eggs and other foods. Lutein is regarded as yellow pigment and occurs orange to red in high concentrations. These carotenoids are outlined with the presence of hydroxyl group on each terminal ring of these molecules. In nature, they are found together either esterified to fatty acids or in an unesterified form. In flowers/ fruits of plants they are esterified as they are found highly in free…
Folate is a B vitamin that functions as a coenzyme in the metabolism of nucleic and amino acids. Folate is a generic term that includes both the naturally occurring form of the vitamin (food folate or pteroyl- polyglutamates) and the monoglutamate form (folic acid or pteroylmonoglutamic acid), which is used in fortified foods and dietary supplements. The word ‘folic’ is from the Latin ‘folia’ (leaf), coined in 1941 for an early preparation of this vitamin from spinach leaves. The requirements for folate are based on the amount of dietary folate equivalents (DFEs, with values adjusted for differences in the absorption…
Vitamin D3 (also called cholecalciferol) is the form synthesized from cholesterol in sun-exposed skin. For healthy children and adults, exposing the hands, face, and arms on a clear summer day for 10–15 minutes several times each week provides adequate vitamin D. Cholecalciferol is the natural form of the vitamin found in animal products such as eggs, fish, and liver. However, Cholecalciferol is the preferred form for humans as its bioavailability is twice that of vitamin D2. Cholecalciferol is made in skin consecutive exposure to UVB light. It is converted to calcifediol in the liver and then converted to calcitriol in…
Vitamin D2 commonly known as ergocalciferol occurs in plant foods. This fat soluble vitamin assists body to absorb phosphorus and calcium. In order to build or maintain strong bones, the body requires adequate amount of calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus. Vitamin D helps to prevent bone disorders such as osteomalacia and rickets. Body makes Vitamin D when skin becomes exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D2 was first discovered in 1936. It is the most effective and safe medicines for health system and is on World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines. It is available as generic medicine and over the counter.…
Vitamin K2 also called menaquinone has nine associated compounds which are generally subdivided into short chain menaquinones and long chain menaquinones of MK-7, MK-8 and MK-9 are nutritionally most recognized. Menaquinones are abbreviated as MK-n where M refers menaquinone, K stands for Vitamin K and n represents number of isoprenoid side chain residues. Menaquinone-7 and other long chain menaquinones vary from MK-4 in that they are not formed by human tissue. MK-7 could be transformed from phylloquinone (K1) in the colon by Escherichia coli bacteria. These menaquinones are incorporated by bacteria in gut to subsidize overall vitamin K status. Vitamin…
Myristoleic acid is a long chain fatty acid and tetradecenoic acid. Myristoleic acid also known as 9-tetradecenoic acid is an omega-5 fatty acid and a conjugate of myristeolate. It is biosynthesized from myristic acid by enzyme stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 but is considered to be rare in nature. The major source of Myristoleic acid is seed oil from plants belonging to family Myristicaceae which comprises about 30 percent of oil in some species. It is a constituent of Saw palmetto or Serenoa and appears to have activity against LNCaP prostate-cancer cells. It also consists of 1.89% of fats from fruit of species…
Stigmasterol is a phytosterol which means it is steroid derived from plants with major function to maintain structure and physiology of cell membranes. It is found in fats and oils of soybean, rapeseed and calabar bean and other vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds and unpasteurized milk. As a food additive, phytosterols possess cholesterol lowering properties and acts as cancer preventive agent. Naturally, phytosterols is present in small amount in vegetable oils such as soybean oil. Cholestatin is a phytosterol complex which is isolated from vegetable oil that comprises of stigmasterol, campesterol and brassicasterol and is marketed as dietary supplement. Sterols help…
Eicosenoic acid is a monounsaturated long chain fatty with 20-carbon backbone and sole double bond originating from 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th 12th or 15th positions from the methyl end. 11Z-Eicosenoic acid also called gondoic acid belongs to the member of class of compounds known as long chain fatty acids. Long chain fatty acids are fatty acids having aliphatic tail containing 13 and 21 carbon atoms. It is insoluble in water and a weakly acidic compound. It is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various nuts and plant oils. This acid is formed by elongation of oleic acid and…