palmitoylethanolamide

**Palmitoylethanolamide** is an endogenous, non-psychoactive N-acylethanolamine lipid mediator and fatty-acid amide. It is used in oral and topical nutraceutical and medical-food formulations and has been clinically investigated for inflammatory and neuropathic pain syndromes, knee osteoarthritis, migraine, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, and atopic dermatitis. Its best-supported pharmacologic mechanism is activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, which modulates inflammatory and nociceptive signaling; transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and G protein-coupled receptor 55 pathways have also been reported as PPAR-alpha-independent contributors. PEA has poor intrinsic aqueous solubility, so micronized, ultra-micronized, and dispersion-enhanced formulations have been developed to improve exposure. ([pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Palmitoylethanolamide))

Brand names

Levagen+Palmidrol (as cream, but Palmidrol is also a tablet/suspension in some regions)

Other names

PEAPalmidrolN-palmitoylethanolamideN-hexadecanoylethanolamidepalmitoyl ethanolamideN-(2-hydroxyethyl)hexadecanamide