(±)17-HDHA is an autoxidation product of docosahexaenoic acid in vitro. It is also produced from incubations of DHA in rat liver, brain, and intestinal microsomes. 17(S)-HDHA could be produced by enzymatic oxidation of DHA using soybean lipoxygenase (LO) and is the putative product of mammalian 15-LOs. 17(S)-HDHA was shown to be an inhibitor of U-46619 -induced rabbit and rat aortic smooth muscle contraction with IC50 values of 4.9 and 7.2 μM, respectively. (±)17-HDHA is a potential marker of oxidative stress in brain and retina where DHA is an abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid.

Resolvins are a group of polyhydroxylated metabolites of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in the inflammatory exudates of aspirin-treated experimental animals. 17(R)-HDHA is the primary oxygenation product of DHA when exposed to aspirin-inhibited cyclooxygenase-2. 17(R)-HDHA serves as a precursor to resolvins and has intrinsic biological activity, such as the inhibition of TNFα-induced IL-1β expression in human glioma cells.

17(S)-HDHA is a primary mono-oxygenation product of docosahexaenoic acid in human whole blood, human leukocytes, and mouse brain. 17(S)-HDHA serves as a precursor to 17(S)-resolvins and has intrinsic biological activity, such as the inhibition of TNF-α-induced interleukin-1β expression in human glioma cells and inhibition of TNF-α-induced leukocyte trafficking to the mouse air pouch.