Research from the 1930s to the 1950s established that a deficit of n-6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) leads to an inflammatory skin condition in both animals and humans. In a common inherited skin condition, atopic dermatitis (eczema), there was evidence of low blood EFA concentrations and of a therapeutic response to exceptionally high doses of linoleic acid. More recently, it has been establish...

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), namely, oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), and gamma-linolenic acid (C18:3), constituted the majority in the total fatty acid content (44%) of sporangiospores of Mucor rouxii. At 30 degrees C, the germination begins within 1h at which time spore swelling occurs, followed by germ tube emergence within 3-4h. Throughout germination, an increase in gamma-linolenic...

I. In Expt I , four adult wether sheep were given diets of hay or dried grass in an alternating sequence of feeding treatments. Each treatment period lasted for 20 days and blood samples were taken from the sheep on the last day of each period. When the diet of hay (linoleic: linolenic acid ratio 1.40) was replaced by one of dried grass (1inoleic:linoltnic acid ratio 0.28), there was an increas...

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is an important plant naturally found as a weed in field crops and lawns. Purslane is widely distributed around the globe and is popular as a potherb in many areas of Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean region. This plant possesses mucilaginous substances which are of medicinal importance. It is a rich source of potassium (494 mg/100 g) followed by magnesium (68...

Arachidonic acid and other long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are important structural components of membranes and are implicated in diverse signaling pathways. The Delta6 desaturation of linoleic and linolenic acids is the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of these molecules. C. elegans fat-3 mutants lack Delta6 desaturase activity and fail to produce C20 PUFAs. We examined these...

A strain of the cyanobacterium Arthrospira was isolated from Lake Chahannaoer in northern China and was characterized according to microscopic morphology, photosynthetic oxygen-evolving activity, growth rate, and nutritional profile. Compared with thermophilic Arthrospira species occurring naturally in tropical and subtropical lakes, this isolate is mesophilic and grows optimally at ~20 degrees...

objective: menopause is the condition when regular menstrual periods cease and may be accompanied by psychological and physical symptoms. the purpose of current study was to determine nigella sativa effects on reproductive system in experimental menopause animal models. materials and methods: a series of experiments wasconducted to investigate the effects of different dosages of n. sativa (firs...

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) oil typically contains 8% α-linolenic acid that is highly unstable and easily oxidized. This property is undesirable in many food and industrial applications. Genetic strategies for reducing α-linolenic acid content would enhance the commercial value. However, genetic resources for low α-linolenic acid content are limited among natural soybean variations. Micros...

The synthesis of prostaglandins F2alpha and E2 by guinea-pig uterine homogenates was inhibited by p-bromophenacyl bromide (PBPAB), an inhibitor of phospholipase A2. 2 Metabolism of prostaglandin F2alpha by uterine homogenates was undetectable; this was not affected by PBPAB. 3 There was no significant difference between the amounts of arachidonic acid released from uterine homogenates on days 7...