Eicosanoids classification

There is a large number of naturally occurring lipids but not all are available commercially. The Lipid Library is a useful source of general information on most classes of lipids, fatty acids and eicosanoids. In addition to this, a more specific database, the Lipid Metabolites and Pathways Strategy (LipidMAPS), provides a classification system for all known lipids and gives information on the structures of these lipids. 

A. Classification The principal eicosanoid subgroups are the prostaglandins, prostacyclin, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes. Prostacyclin and thromboxane are often considered members of the prostaglandin group since they are also cyclized derivatives. The leukotrienes retain the straight chain configuration of arachidonic acid. There are several series for most of the princi-... 

In this introductory chapter the basic rules for the currently used classification and nomenclature of eicosanoids and related compounds are summarized. For more detailed information the reader is referred to several reviews in which the nomenclature of eicosanoids [1—4] and oxylipins [5] is explained. Moreover, the... 

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