| Abstract: | cis-5(6)Epoxy- and cis-14(15)epoxyeicosatrienoic acid are formed from arachidonic acid by monooxygenases. 5(6)Epoxyeicosatrienoic acid is metabolized by fatty acid cyclooxygenase of ram seminal vesicles and the major products were recently identified as 5(6)epoxy-PGE1 and two stereoisomers of 5-hydroxy-PGI1. The two isomers were likely formed from an unstable intermediate, 5(6)epoxy-PGF1 alpha. The isolation of 5(6)epoxy-PGF1 alpha is described here and 14(15)epoxyeicosatrienoic acid is shown to inhibit fatty acid cyclooxygenase of ram seminal vesicles, albeit less potently than eicosatetraynoic acid (IC50 0.18 and 0.05 mM, respectively). |
