Description

Linoleic acid (omega 6) is reputed an essential fatty acid for our body as it can be considered a bioactive lipid and can serve as a functional food as it has the ability to alter body weight and modulate metabolism.

It has a very important function in our body as it participates in cell growth and blood coagulation.

It belongs to the family of omega 6 fatty acids, it is a powerful antioxidant and acts as a contrast to fats.

Linoleic acid is the most highly consumed Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) found in the human diet. On consumption, linoleic acid has 4 primary fates. Like all fatty acids, it can be used as a source of energy. It can be esterified to form neutral and polar lipids such as phospholipids, triacylglycerols, and cholesterol esters. As part of membrane phospholipids, linoleic acid functions as a structural component to maintain a certain level of membrane fluidity of the transdermal water barrier of the epidermis. In addition, when released from membrane phospholipids, it can be enzymatically oxidized to a variety of derivatives involved in cell signaling [i.e., 13-hydroxy or 13-hydroperoxy octadecadienoic acid, 13-H(P)ODE] (1).

The main sources in which we find linoleic acid are:

• vegetable oils
• seeds
• walnuts
• eggs
• meat
• milk

It is used in:

• medicine
• cosmetics
• human nutrition
• animal feed

As a dietary supplement it is called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).

Linoleic acid studies

Molecular Formula: C₁₈H₃₂O₂

Linear Formula CH₃(CH₂)₄CH=CHCH₂CH=CH(CH₂)₇CO₂H 

Molecular Weight: 280.452 g/mol

UNII: 9KJL21T0QJ

CAS: 60-33-3  8024-22-4  506-21-8  2197-37-7  80969-37-5  949900-18-9

EC Number: 200-470-9  606-872-4  617-024-8

FEMA Number: 3380

PubChem Substance ID 24896279

MDL number MFCD00064241

Beilstein Registry Number 1727101

Synonyms:

• 18:2ω6; cis, cis-9,12-octadecadienoic acid
• Linolic acid
• omega 6
• Telfairic acid
• all-cis-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid
• Linoleate
• Emersol 315
• Unifac 6550
• 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (9Z,12Z)-
• 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-
• cis,cis-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid
• cis-9,cis-12-Octadecadienoic acid

References__________________________________________________

(1) Linoleic Acid

Jay Whelan

Adv Nutr. 2013 May; 4(3): 311–312.

Published online 2013 May 6. doi: 10.3945/an.113.003772