α-linolenic acid

α-Linolenic acid (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) is an essential fatty acid belonging to the omega-3 fatty acids group. It is highly concentrated in certain plant oils and has been reported to inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandin resulting in reduced inflammation and prevention of certain chronic diseases.

Methyl Linolenate (Linolenic acid methyl ester) is a polyunsaturated fattly acid (PUFA). It is used in studies on the mechanisms and prevention of oxidation/peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids.

γ-Linolenic Acid methyl ester (Methyl gamma-linolenate) is a weak leukotriene B4 (LTB4) receptor antagonist.

Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) is a fatty acid widely found in plants with antitumor and antiproliferative effects, inhibits the growth of xenograft tumor cells, and can be used in the study of inflammation-related diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, and atopic dermatitis.

gamma-Linolenic acid (gamolenic acid), is an unsaturated fatty acid synthesized from linoleic acid (LA) by the enzyme delta-6-desaturase. Research on hepatocellular cell lines has shown γ-Linolenic Acid to have induced reactive oxygen species generation including lipid peroxidation, cell growth inhibition, and heme oxygenase-1 production for antioxidant protection against oxidative stress. Further experiments have noted that γ-Linolenic acid inhibits inflammatory responses through inactivation of NFκB and activator protein-1 by suppressed oxidative stress.

Torilin is an inhibitor of testosterone 5 alpha-reductase, it (IC50 = 31.7 +/- 4.23 microM) shows a stronger inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase than alpha-linolenic acid (IC50 = 160.3 +/- 24.62 microM) but is weaker than finasteride (IC50 = 0.38 +/- 0.06 microM). Torilin has immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties, it inhibits inflammation by limiting TAK1-mediated MAP kinase and NF-κB activation, it can attenuate arthritis severity, modify leukocyte activations in dLNs or joints, and restore serum and splenocyte cytokine imbalances. Torilin inhibits melanin production in alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone-activated B16 melanoma cells, with an IC(50) value of 25 microM. Torilin shows excellent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 spores and vegetative cells. Torilin has a potent anti-angiogenic activity both in vivo and in vitro, and it may have a strong activity to suppress tumorigenesis by inhibition of tumor invasion, it reverses multidrug-resistance in cancer cells, it can potentiate the cytotoxicities of adriamycin, vinblastine, taxol and colchicine against multidrug-resistant KB-V1 and MCF7/ADR cells.

Punicic acid, a conjugated isomer of α-linolenic acid and a ω-5 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in pomegranate seed oil, holds potential for research into various chronic diseases [1].