General Veterinary Biochemistry

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

• Those polyunsaturated fatty acids that cannot be synthesized that must be supplied through the diet are called essential fatty acids.
• Essential fatty acids for many species including man are
  • Linoleic (ω6) acid
  • linolenic(ω3) acid
  • Arachidonic acid is also an essential fatty acid and it can be formed from linoleic acid in most mammals but not in the cat family.
• Deficiency causes
• Scaly dermatitis
• Decreased availability of precursors for eicosanoid synthesis. (Eicosa is the Greek word for the number 20)
• Affects fluidity of membrane structure.
• The ordinary dietary oils are rich in linoleic acid (ω6). The ω-3 type of polyunsaturated fatty acids is produced by vegetation that grows in cold water. Fish that feeds on these organisms contain large amounts of ω-3 fatty acids. Hence, fish oils are richer in ω-3 type of fatty acids.