Chemistry Essays Essential Fatty Acids

Chemistry Essays demand roly-poly pudding AcidsA discussion on the role of inwrought oily venereal diseases in human wellness.Introduction Fatty stingings ar primal comp binglents of lipids (fat-soluble components of living cells) in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Generally, a sebaceous social disease consists of a straight hydrocarbon cosmic string and a terminal carboxyl group (-COOH) group. It is the carboxyl group that guesss it an acid. If the carbon-to-carbon bonds be all single, the acid is saturated if any of the bonds is twice or triple, the acid is unsaturated and is more re deedive. The physical properties of fatty acids be determined by chain length, degree of unsatu balancen, and chain branching.This essay foc parts on the role of essential fatty acids, i.e. fatty acids that must normally be present in the diet of certain animals including man. These acids occur in remains structures, especially the different membranes inside and slightly cells, and cannot be synthesised in the proboscis from other fats. Essential fatty acids all possess double bonds at the same two positions along their hydrocarbon chain and so can act as precursors of prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrines. Deficiency of essential fatty acids can ca pulmonary tuberculosis dermatosis, system of weights loss, irregular oestrus and so on Table 1 shows the most important natural fatty acids.AcidNumber of Carbon AtomsNumber of double up BondsSaturated acidsButyric40Caproic60Caprylic80Capric100Lauric120Myristic140Palmitic160Stearic180Arachidic200Behenic220Monounsaturated acidsPalmitoleic161Oleic181Erucic221Polyunsaturated acidsLinoleic (w6)182a-Linolenic (w3)183g-Linolenic (w6)183Arachidonic (w6)204Eicosapentaenoic (w3)205Docosahexaenoic (w3)226Table 1 The most important natural fatty acids. omega-3 fatty acid (w3) Omega-6 (w6) fatty acids The Western DietThere is an absolute fatality for a dietetical inhalant of w3 and w6 polyunsaturated fatty ac ids (PUFA), because of their role in constructing cell membranes, and also as precursors for the prostaglandins and other eicosanoids. In fact, w3 fatty acids are particularly prevalent in the brain, retina, and spermatozoa, in which docosahexanoic acid (see table 1) constitutes well-nigh 36.4% of total fatty acids.The two parent compounds, which are considered to be dietary essentials, are linoleic acid (w6) and a-linolenic acid (w3). These two can undergo chain elongation and further desatuproportionn to yield arachidonic acid (w6) and docosahexaenoic acid (w3) respectively, which are both precursors to two families of prostaglandins. There is no requirement for a dietary solution of the longer chain PUFA, but they are potentially desirable in the diet, since their formation from linoleic or linolenic acids is a rate-limiting step.So, what is the desirable level of w3 and w6 fatty acid in take a leak and does the western diet meet this level? Ideally, the body requires a near bal anced intake of both w3 and w6 fatty acids since the eicosanoids derived from w3 fatty acids pitch opposing metabolic properties to those derived from w6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids, on the one hand, gravel anti- incitive, antithrombotic, antiarrhythmic, hypolipidemic, and vasodilatory properties. For example, they have the ability to make family thinner by simplification platelet aggregation (this is particularly beneficial in trim blood clots and stroke). They also play an important role in the changeover and prevention of human diseases, particularly coronary heart disease, eccentric person 2 diabetes, and renal disease, and there is strong evidence that w3 fatty acids are essential for human development from infancy onwards. On the other hand, w6 fatty acids erect platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction, as well as increasing blood viscosity and bleeding time.The western diet is far richer in w6 fatty acids than w3. This is due to the increased intake of w6-rich fo ods such(prenominal) as cereals, fried foods, baked foods etc. In fact, in todays western diet, the proportionality of w6 to w3 fatty acids ranges from 20-301 instead of the traditional, and optimum, range of 1-21. This means that the eicosanoids produced from the metabolism of w6 fatty acids are formed in great amounts than those derived from the w3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid. The go is an increase in allergies, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and the formation of thrombi and atheromas. This explains why cardiovascular diseases are far more prevalent in the west. Consequently, people should be encouraged to eat more w3-rich foods (such as cold-water fish, flaxseed, rapeseed etc) in order to make the balance more even.Figure 1 shows the relationship between the ratio of w6 to w3 fatty acids in dietary lipids in the Indian diet and the preponderance of type 2 diabetes. It is clear that, as the ratio of w6 PUFAs to w3 PUFAs increases, the prevalence of type 2 d iabetes also increases.Figure 2 Data obtained from Raheja BS, Sadikot SM, Phatak RB, Rao MB. Significance of the n-6/n-3 ratio for insulin action in diabetes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1993, 683, 258-7.As far as cardiovascular diseases are concerned, a more even w6 to w3 ratio (i.e. greater w3 fatty acid intake or decreased w6 intake) has been shown to contribute to care cholesterol belittled, stabilising arrhythmia, and keeping blood pressure low.Fatty Acids, sacking Autoimmune DiseasesOmega-3 PUFAs, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, have been shown to have potent immunomodulatory personal effects. Some of the effects of w3 PUFA are induced by passage of the amount and types of eicosanoids made, and other effects are triggered by alternative mechanisms that do not involve eicosanoids, for example actions upon intracellular signalling pathways, transcription factor natural action and gene expression.Eicosapentaenoic acid (w3) competes with arachidonic acid ( w6) for the enzymatic metabolism (by cyclooxygenases) that results in prostaglandin formation. The eicosanoid metabolites of eicosapentaenoic acid produce fewer rabble-rousing and chemotactic derivatives than the arachidonic acid metabolites. Therefore, increasing the dietary intake of w3 fatty acids reduces the likelihood of inflammation.Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to deadening down the production of interleukin 1 (IL-1b) by trounceing the IL-1b mRNA, as well as the Cox2 (cytooxygenase) mRNA that is induced by IL-1b. Cox2 is overexpressed in colon cancer cells. Furthermore, look also suggests that a high dose of a-linolenic acid can suppress the formation of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), which is implicated in causing some of the pathological responses that occur in inflammatory conditions. Hence, it appears that by upward(a) diet management, and ingesting more w3 (as opposed to w6) fatty acids, we could significantly reduce inflammatory disorders and the 40% of ca ncers that are caused by diet alone. Managing autoimmune and inflammatory conditions in this way is clearly beneficial since it eliminates many of the side effects associated with the procurable drug therapies.Fatty Acids and Mental HealthGiven the fact that around 60% of the brain is composed of fat, it is not surprising that the organ of necessity w3 fatty acids to function properly. There is evidence that links mood disorders with low concentrations of w3 fatty acids in the body. According to certain theories of depression, w3 fatty acids help to put mental health problems by improving the ability of the brains serotonin (5-HT) receptors to understand mood-related signals from other neurones. These theories are being investigated further.ConclusionEssential fatty acids have justifiably been linked with a plethora of health issues affecting society at large today. What is most evident is that, in the western world, we are failing to ensure that we make optimum use of the benefit s that w3 fatty acids have to offer. In order to benefit more, we must take action to balance our intake of w3 and w6 fatty acids. At present, the balance is leaning too greatly towards w6 fatty acids. Consequently, heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, depression, inflammatory disorders, cancer etc are on the increase. That is not to say that w6 fatty acids are totally bad for us the body requires reasonable amounts for the purposes of vasoconstriction etc. The ratio of w6/w3 essential fatty acids can be improved by reducing our intake of w6 fatty acids from vegetable oils and increasing our intake of w3 fatty acids from foods such as oily fish, leafy green vegetables, wild game etc.What is clear is that new benefits of w3 fatty acids are being discovered either day. This is evident from the masses of literature on the subject. But it is one topic to learn about the benefits of w3 fatty acids and a completely other to use this information effectively. This is the area th at needs to be addressed.REFERENCESjournal Articles Referred to in the textual matterNeuringer M et al., Biochemical functional effects of prenatal and postnatal omega-3 fatty acid deficiency on retina and brain in rhesus monkey monkeys, Proc Natl Acad USA 1986, 83, 4021-5Connor W.E., Importance of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2000, 71(1), 171-5Simopoulos A.P, Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1999, 70(3), 560-569Raheja BS, Sadikot SM, Phatak RB, Rao MB. Significance of the n-6/n-3 ratio for insulin action in diabetes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1993, 683, 258-7Harris WS et al., Effect of fish oil on VLDL triglyceride dynamics in man, J Lipid Res 1990, 31 1549-58McLennan PL, Relative effects of dietary saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids on cardiac arrhythmias in rats, Am J Clin Nutr, 1993, 57, 207-12Charnock, JS, Antiarrhythmic effects of fish oils, World Rev Nutr Diet, 1991, 66 278-91Berry EM, Hirsch J., Does dietary linolenic acid influence blood pressure? Am J Clin Nutr, 1986, 44 336-40Simopoulos, AP., Omega-3 Fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002, vol 21(6), 495-505Maes M et al., Fatty acid reputation in major depression decreased omega-3 fractions in cholesteryl esters, J Affect Disord, 1996, 38, 35-46