eicosapentaenoic acid

English

A ball-and-stick model of eicosapentaenoic acid, .

Etymology

From eicosa- + penta- + -noic acid. The eicosa- prefix refers to the 20 carbon atoms. The penta- prefix refers to the five double bonds. The -(e)noic suffix generically denotes fatty acids.

Noun

eicosapentaenoic acid (uncountable)

  1. (organic chemistry) An omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), having 20 carbon atoms and 5 cis double bonds, that acts as a precursor for prostaglandin-3, thromboxane-3, and leukotriene-5 eicosanoids
    Synonyms: (initialism) EPA, icosapentaenoic acid, timnodonic acid, (physiological literature) 20:5(n-3)

Coordinate terms

  • eicosapentaenoate (coordinate as a base versus an acid, but synonymous in the practical sense that the conjugate base and conjugate acid coexist in solution)

Translations

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