Docosapentaenoic acid

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Docosapentaenoic acid designates any straight chain 22:5 fatty acid.

See essential fatty acid#Nomenclature for nomenclature.

Two isomers are of particular interest

• all-cis-7,10,13,16,19-docosapentaenoic acid is an ω-3 fatty acid with the trivial name clupanodonic acid, commonly called DPA. It is an intermediary between eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 ω-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 ω-3). Seal oil is a rich source.
• all-cis-4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoic acid is an ω-6 fatty acid. It is formed by an elongation and desaturation of arachidonic acid 20:4 ω-6. In mammals, clupanodonic acid deficiency is accompanied by an increase of this isomer.

The chemical strucuture of clupanodonic acid showing physiological numbering (red) and chemical numbering (blue) conventions.

The chemical strucuture of ω-6 docosapentaenoic acid showing physiological numbering (red) and chemical numbering (blue) conventions.

[edit] References

• Omega 3 Seal Oil Studies and Research. The Studies of Seal Oil. Retrieved on February 8, 2006.
• Sheila M Innis, Ziba Vaghri and D Janette King. n–6 Docosapentaenoic acid is not a predictor of low docosahexaenoic acid status in Canadian preschool children. Retrieved on July 17, 2006.

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[edit] See Also

• List of omega-3 fatty acids