Estudio de Ia presencia del acido gamma-linolenico en los aceites vegetales

Abstract

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) play a fundamental role in all cell membranes of the body, and they are vital for metabolism. How fluid and flexible the cell membranes are depends on how much EF As they have. They are also the precursors of the all-important short-lived regulating molecules, the Prostaglandins. y-linolenic acid (18:3, w-6) is the second in the metabolic pathway of linoleic acid to Prostaglandin E1. At present, evening primrose oil is the most important source of y-linolenic acid, which is in growing demand for its clinical and pharmaceutical applications. However, this acid also occurs in other oilseeds such as borage oil, but it is normally accompanied by the common a-linolenic acid (18:3, w-3) and erubic acid (22: I).