stearidonic acid

Stearidonic acid is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) with the chemical formula C18H28O2. It is found in certain plant oils (notably from the Boraginaceae family such as echium oil) and some fish oils. Stearidonic acid serves as a metabolic precursor to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a long-chain n−3 PUFA associated with cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits[5][7][10]. Unlike alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is poorly converted to EPA in humans, stearidonic acid is more efficiently converted to EPA[3][9]. Mechanistically, it exerts anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), suppressing nuclear factor κB (NFκB) activation and mitogen activated protein kinase pathways in immune cells[7]. Supplementation increases red blood cell membrane EPA content and modulates oxylipin profiles more potently than ALA[3][9].

Other names

stearidonic acid C18:46Z,9Z,12Z,15Z-octadecatetraenoic acidall-cis-octadeca-6,9,12,15-tetraenoic acidall-cis-octadecatetraenoic acid