Abstract

One of the characteristics of the modern western diet is the imbalance of the two essential fatty acids, the omega-6 and the omega-3 fatty acids (figure). The most important omega-6 fatty acid is arachidonic acid (20:4n 6); the important omega-3 fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3). Today's western diet has a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids of 15:1, when data suggest that human beings evolved, and lived for most of their existence, on a ratio close to 1:1. Changes in eating habits and in agriculture within the past 100–200 years are the main cause of this changed ratio. 1 Simopoulos AP The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. Biomed Pharmacother. 2002; 56: 365-379 Crossref PubMed Scopus (2561) Google Scholar This shift might be important because these fatty acids are the precursors of the eicosanoid lipid mediators: the prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes, lipoxins, epoxyprostanoids and isoprostanes. COX=cyclo-oxygenases, LO=lipoxygenases. Prostaglandins (PG), thromboxanes (TX), leukotrienes (LT), lipoxins (LX), resolvins (Rv), docosatrienes (DT), and aspirin-triggered lipoxins (ATLs) are shown with their respective abbreviations. Underlined are those mediators for which specific receptors have been identified.

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call